UC-NRLF 


55    IflO 


OF  THE  \\ 

UNIVERSITY 
OF 


0° 


LIFE   OF 

ST.  ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA, 


SOCIETY  OF  JESUS. 
EDITED  BY 

REV.  J.  F.  X.  O'CoNOR,  S.  J. 

WRITTEN   BY 

THE  STUDENTS  OF  RHETORIC,  CLASS  OF  '92, 

OF 

ST.  FRANCIS  XAVIER'S  COLLEGE, 

NEW  YORK  CITY. 


TERCENTENARY    LIFE. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  EDITOR  AND  SOLD  BY  ALL  BOOKSELLERS. 
SPECIAL  EDITION. 

COLLEGE   OF   ST.   IGNATIUS, 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA, 
1891. 


Umprfmatur, 

MICHAEL  AUGUSTINE, 

Archbishop  of  New  York. 


•ffmprimatur,, 

THOMAS  J.  CAMPBELL,  S.J., 

PROVINCIAL, 
Province  New  York  and  Maryland. 


Copyright,  1891,  by  J.  F.  X.  Q'CoNOR. 


V^3 

THIS  LITTLE  BOOK 

IS  DEDICATED   TO   THE 

YOUNG  MEN  AND  YOUNG  WOMEN 

OF  AMERICA, 

AS  A  SHORT  REMEMBRANCE 

OF  THAT  DEAR  FRIEND  OF  GOD 

THE  PURE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL,  THE  HOLY 

ST.    ALOYSIUS, 

WHO,  LIKE  US 

LIVING  ON  THIS  EARTH, 

HAS,  BY  HIS  BEAUTIFUL  LIFE 

AND  THE  FRAGRANCE  OF   HIS  VIRTUES, 

TAUGHT  US 
THAT  WE,   TOO,   WITH   THE  HELP  OF  THE  GOD 

WHO  LOVES  US, 

CAN   KEEP  FROM  SIN 

AND,  EVEN  AMID  THE  WHIRL  OF  EVIL   AROUND   US, 

CAN   LIVE  HOLY  LIVES 
AND  WIN  THE  BLESSED  CROWN  OF  ETERNAL  JOY 

WHICH  GOD  PROMISES 
TO  THOSE  WHO  LOVE  HlM. 


ST.  FRANCIS  XAVIER'S  COLLEGE, 
Easter,  1891. 


M564421 


BY  F.MARACEUJ. 


NB  AT    F\DME. 


humble 

ife. 
.ys, 

• 

•  •  -is  ? 
.t  holiru 

• 


TO    ST.    ALOYSIUS. 

OALOYSIUS,  to  whose  loving  care 
Has  been  intrusted  all  our  youthful  life, 
O,  list,  dear  brother,  to  our  humble  prayer, 

And  lend  thine  aid  to  help  us  in  the  strife. 
How  swift  the  passing  of  thine  earthly  days, 

Yet  in  their  light,  what  lessons  may  we  learn  ! 
The  ways  of  God,  and  truth,  and  light  to  praise, 

The  ways  of  darkness  and  of  sin  to  spurn. 
What  honors  now  with  other  saints  of  God 

In  radiant  glory  does  thy  soul  possess  ? 
In  all,  brave  boy-saint,  hast  thou  glorious  stood, 

High  on  the  summit  of  great  holiness. 
For  who  of  those  with  whom  thou  now  dost  dwell 

Hath  e'er  excelled  thy  matchless  purity  ? 
Or  who  performed  the  Lord's  behest  as  well 

As  thou,  with  unassumed  humility? 
Too  holy  wert  thou  for  the  tainted   earth 

Which  could  not  hope  to  long  imprison  thee ; 
Too  soon,  'twould  seem,  still  pure  as  at  thy  birth, 

Thy  soul  has  entered  immortality. 


EDITOR'S    PREFACE. 

r  I  ^HE  Tercentenary  of  the  birthday  in  heaven  of  St. 
Aloysius. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  a  centenary  and  a  tercen- 
tenary? The  Romans  of  old  celebrated  the  building 
of  the  city  of  Rome,  not  only  with  annual  rejoicings, 
but  every  hundredth  year  with  the  Secular  Games,  the 
"  Ludi  saeculares."  "  Within  the  circle  of  a  hundred 
years  the  life  of  man  is  bound,"  said  the  poet,  and 
speaking  of  these  games,  Ovid  says,  they  are  "  to  be 
looked  upon  once  in  a  lifetime."  The  solemn  voice  of 
the  herald  proclaims  that  invited  guests  have  either 
never  beheld  them  before,  or  never  will  again. 

Eight  hundred  years  before  the  Romans,  the  people 
of  Israel  held  their  feast  of  joy,  their  jubilee,  corre- 


viii  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

* 
spending  to  the  feast  of  games   of  the   Romans,  not 

every  hundred,  but  every  fifty  years.  It  was  a  day  of 
freedom,  a  day  of  remission  of  punishment,  a  day  of 
gladness  and  jubilation. 

In  Christian  times,  the  Jubilee  was  celebrated  every 
hundredth  year,  in  the  time  of  Boniface ;  every  fiftieth 
year,  by  order  of  Clement  VI.;  every  thirty-third  year, 
in  honor  of  the  years  of  Christ's  life,  by  Urban  VI.; 
and  every  twenty-five  years,  by  a  decree  of  Sixtus  IV. 

Three  hundred  years  St.  Aloysius  has  lived  in  glory; 
young,  yet  venerable  ;  for,  not  declining  and  fading 
years  make  old  age,  not  gray  hair  and  wrinkled  visage, 
but  wisdom.  He  was,  if  you  measure  years,  a  young 
man,  but  if  you  weigh  the  greatness  of  his  life,  he  had 
reached  the  summit  of  old  age. 

This  Tercentenary  honors,  therefore,  the  three  hun- 
dred years  of  his  heavenly  glory,  and  this  volume  tells 
how  that  glory  was  merited. 

The  present  edition,  prepared  especially  for  the  Ter- 
centenary Celebration  of  the  feast  of  St.  Aloysius  in 


Editor  s  Preface.  ix 

America,  hopes  to  offer  to  American  readers  a  more 
attractive  life  of  St.  Aloysius  than  those  at  present  ex- 
isting in  English. 

What  will  give  added  interest  is  that  this  life  was 
written  by  a  number  of  young  students,  all  under  the 
age  of  nineteen,  the  members  of  the  Class  of  Rhetoric 
of  '92,  of  the  College  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  New  York 
City. 

This  life  of  St.  Aloysius  is  not  a  translation  of  any 
work,  but  the  material  has  been  taken  from  the  best 
sources.  The  authors  have  drawn  largely  on  that  rich 
mine  of  ascetic  treasures,  the  Act  a  Sanctorum  of  the 
Bollandists,  and  have  culled  there  the  original,  newest 
and  best  material  at  first  hand.  They  have  taken  all 
that  was  interesting  from  the  old  life  of  Fr.  Cepari, 
first  written  in  Italian,  translated  into  poor  French,  and 
translated  from  the  French  into  English,  and  reprinted 
with  an  American  preface. 

They  have  also  taken  what  was  best  and  most  in- 
teresting from  the  recent  edition  for  the  centennial,  by 


x  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Fr.  Charles  Clair,  published  in  1891,  and  secured  since 
their  own  work  was  taken  in  hand. 

They  claim,  therefore,  that  no  effort  was  spared  to 
present  to  their  contemporaries,  the  young  men  and 
young  women  of  America,  a  good  life  of  St.  Aloysius, 
written  especially  for  them  by  American  college  stud- 
ents, whose  hope  is  that  this  work  will  be  a  tribute 
worthy  of  the  saint  in  whose  honor  it  was  written,  and 
bring  both  to  writers  and  readers  a  better  knowledge 
of  St.  Aloysius,  a  greater  love  for  and  imitation  of  his 
beautiful  life,  and  a  stronger  claim  to  his  powerful 
intercession  with  God. 

Whatever  may  be  the  perfection  of  the  Life,  it  was  a 
noble  and  beautiful  purpose,  that  of  a  band  of  young 
men,  striving  by  their  efforts  to  make  better  known  the 
life  of  a  hero  of  the  Church  of  God,  and  the  special 
"  Patron  of  Youth/' 


EASTER,  1891. 


AUTHORS'    PREFACE. 

HPHIS  June  1891  we  celebrate  the  Tercentenary  of 
*  the  feast  of  St.  Aloysius.  The  Church  intends  to 
make  it  a  grand  occasion  —  an  occasion  on  which  she 
will  offer  up  a  pleasing  remembrance  to  God,  to  His 
heavenly  court,  and  especially  to  the  dear  young  saint, 
who  has  merited  so  great  and  so  lasting  an  honor,  and 
thus  to  inspire,  to  elevate  us  poor  struggling  and  it 
may  be  straggling  followers  who  are  trying  to  tread  the 
path  of  virtue. 

Rome  will  put  on  her  holiday  attire,  and  every- 
thing will  harmonize  with  the  solemnity  of  the  cele- 
bration. St.  Peter's  will  ring  with  the  praises  of  St. 
Aloysius;  prayers  and  thanksgivings  will  ascend  from 
the  altars ;  grand  and  solemn  ceremonies  will  announce 


xii  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

that  it  is  a  festival  of  more  than  ordinary  moment 
within  the  realm  of  the  Church. 

All  over  the  world  it  will  be  looked  upon  as  a  great 
day  in  the  religious  calendar. 

But  why  all  this  splendor  and  ceremony?  Has  a 
mighty  general  died  ?  No  !  Has  a  learned  philosopher 
or  theologian  passed  away  ?  No  !  Has  a  great  orator 
or  any  of  the  lights  of  the  world  gone  to  his  eternal 
rest  ?  No,  none  of  these.  Has  a  great  hero  died  ?  Ah, 
yes !  And  that  hero  was  but  a  young  man. 

Short  was  his  life,  but  how  sweet !  how  good !  how 
noble !  A  few  years  of  struggle  and  sanctity,  and  all 
was  over  for  him. 

Did  I  say  over?  Not  over,  but  just  begun.  For 
while  his  bones  are  whitening  with  the  decay  of  years, 
his  name  and  deeds  have  spread  and  spread  until  they 
have  reached  the  limits  of  the  earth.  But  even  that  is 
not  all,  for  while  time  is,  his  work  is  not  finished  and 
will  not  cease  until  the  gates  of  eternity  have  closed, 
never  to  reopen. 


Authors    Preface.  xiii 

But  ere  the  sun  has  run  its  course,  all  this  pomp  and 
celebration  will  have  passed  away.  The  memory  of 
that  day  may  live  in  the  hearts  of  a  few,  but  to  the 
vast  throng  it  will  be  as  if  it  never  had  been. 

A  few  words  in  Aloysius'  honor,  written  in  that  faith- 
ful and  almost  immortal  ledger  of  mankind,  books,  how- 
ever unpretending  they  may  be,  remain  for  posterity. 
They  live  when  even  the  faintest  recollections  of  that 
grand  celebration  shall  have  sunk  into  oblivion. 

Wishing,  therefore,  to  do  something  in  honor  of  him 
who  is  especially  bound  to  us  students  by  the  patron's 
tie,  but  at  the  same  time  knowing  our  inability  to  do 
anything  worthy  of  his  sacred  memory  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world,  we  have  undertaken  a  task,  small  it  may  be, 
but  still  a  task,  by  which  we  hope  to  make  the  world 
know  him  better,  and  knowing  him,  the  better  to  honor 
and  love  him. 

We  do  not  claim  for  this  little  book  any  great  merit 
or  distinction,  but  have  written  it  in  the  hope  of  say- 
ing a  word  that  will  interest  our  own  contemporaries, 


xiv  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

of  comforting  the  loneliness  and  melancholy  of  a  weary 
hour  in  the  room  of  the  convalescent ;  in  the  hope  of 
brightening  the  dark  hours  of  those  in  sadness  and 
adversity;  of  offering  a  solace  to  the  sorrowful  and  a 
pleasure  to  the  fortunate,  and,  in  a  word,  of  guiding  and 
strengthening  youth  and  gladdening  old  age. 

But  if  this  little  memento  accomplish  nothing  else 
but  bring  one  or  two  souls  a  little  nearer  to  God 
than  before,  by  a  knowledge  of  Aloysius'  noble  ex- 
ample, and  teach  them  to  venerate  and  cherish  a 
saint  who  parted  with  friends,  power,  wealth  and 
home  to  merit  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whose 
whole  life  was  a  perpetual  vow  of  chastity  and  a 
work  of  penance,  we  feel  that  our  feeble  efforts  have 
been  amply  repaid,  and  our  fondest  hopes  will  be  more 
than  realized. 

But  whatever  be  the  fate  of  our  little  work,  whether 
it  meet  with  an  early  death  and  be  soon  forgotten,  or 
whether  it  pass  down  the  corridors  of  time  with  the 
name  of  Aloysius,  we  lay  it  at  his  feet  as  a  tribute  of 


Authors    Preface.  xv 

love,  and  let  its  readers  ever  remember  that  it  was  writ- 
ten by  a  class  of  students  in  honor  of  the  grand  celebra- 
tion of  the  tercentenary  of  a  saint,  whose  life  has  been 
the  guide  and  model  of  their  youth,  and  whose  holy 
memory  they  hope  to  cherish  in  their  old  age. 


"  Exegimus  monumentum  cere  perennius" 

"  We  have  erected  a  monument  more  lasting  than  brass." 

F.  X.  S. 

THE    STUDENTS   WHO    HAVE    WRITTEN   THIS    LIFE   OF    ST.    ALOYSIUS 
'   ARE   THE   FOLLOWING  : 

RICHARD  S.  TIERNEY,  THOMAS  F.  BURKE, 

FRANCIS  S.  PRUNTY,  WILLIAM  S.  CREEDEN, 

THOMAS  F.  ROURKE,  GEORGE  J.  GILLESPIE, 

JOHN  J.  BRADY,  Louis  S.  SNURE, 

HENRY  S.  SAYERS,  JOHN  J.  FULLAM, 

JAMES  F.  BRADY,  HENRY  W.  MCLOUGHLIN, 

THOMAS  F.  CAREY,  FRANCIS  J.  HEANEY, 

JOHN  S.  KERESY,  HAROLD  H.  O'CONNOR. 

RHETORIC  CLASS  OF  '92,  ST.  FRANCIS  XAVIER'S  COLLEGE, 
NEW  YORK  CITY. 

EASTER,  1891. 


ST.    ALOYSIUS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
HIS    EARLY   LIFE. 

I N  the  beautiful  world  of  supernatural  grace,  the  saints 
of  God  have  traced  by  their  lives,  a  dim  outline 
of  the  glory  of  heaven.  The  perfections  of  God,  so 
varied  and  so  limitless  in  their  infinite  beauty,  can  never 
be  adequately  represented  by  any  finite  creature  or  any 
number  of  creatures,  howsoever  perfect  each  may  be  in 
itself. 

Yet,  just  as  each  single  star,  gleaming  through  the 
darkness  sends  a  bright  ray  to  cheer  our  world,  tel- 
ling us  its  message  of  the  glory  of  the  creator  of  the 
firmament,  so  the  life  of  each  saint,  beaming  through 


1 8  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

the  dark  sinfulness  of  a  corrupted  world,  reveals  the 
divine  beauty  of  the  supernatural  life.  Such  a  bright- 
ness was  the  short,  sweet  life  of  Aloysius  Gonzaga. 

Like  a  dream,  comes  over  our  memory  the  vision 
of  that  favored  child  of  God,  beautiful  in  the  spotless 
whiteness  of  his  innocence,  joining  the  purple  passion 
flower  of  penance  to  the  lily  of  his  sinlessness. 

As  we  recall  the  two  characteristics  of  his  life,  inno- 
cence and  penance,  the  contrast  with  the  days  in  which 
we  live  is  deepened.  Innocence  seems  to  flee  away  with 
the  first  unfolding  of  the  youthful  intellect,  and  the 
self-indulgent  spirit  of  the  times,  the  softness  of  fashion- 
able ease,  the  costliness  of  modern  surroundings,  the  in- 
sidious claims  of  culture  and  refinement,  with  the 
worship  of  wealth  and  ambition,  almost  brand  penance 
as  a  folly,  or,  at  least,  as  something  needless  and  out  of 
joint  with  the  spirit  of  the  day. 

Worldliness,  pleasure,  selfishness  is  eating  away  the 
hearts  of  the  young.  The  world's  demands  are  so  crowd- 
ing about  their  thoughts  as  to  shut  completely  out  the 


His  Early  Life.  19 

view  of  the  real  supernatural  world  of  glory  that  is  wait- 
ing for  man  when  this  world's  little  drama  of  time  is  over. 

And  yet,  are  there  not  young  souls  to  save  now  as 
ever — souls  to  be  transformed  into  saints  ?  to  be  mira- 
cles of  innocence  in  the  midst  of  sin,  and  wonders 
of  abnegation  in  the  rush  of  unchecked  indulgence? 
Aloysius  can  show  us  what  may  be  done  by  the  young 
man  who  understands  the  value  of  innocence  and  the 
utility  of  penance.  The  reality  of  his  life  enkindles 
new  faith,  makes  hope  strong  and  brings  a  new  enthusi- 
asm to  charity. 

It  has  been  said  that  saints  are  often  made  by  read- 
ing saints'  lives.  We  know  of  St.  Ignatius  that  one  of 
the  first  motives  of  his  new  life  was  the  holy  ambition 
that  came  to  him  on  reading  the  lives  of  St.  Francis 
and  St.  Dominic.  He  said :  "What  St.  Francis  has 
done  I  shall  do.  What  St.  Dominic  has  done  I  shall  do." 
And  from  that  moment  Ignatius  began  the  life-work  of  a 
saint.  May  we  not  hope  that  something  of  such  a  grace 
may  come  with  the  reading  of  the  life  of  Aloysius,  or,  at 


2O  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

least,  that  we  may  be  led  to  thank  God  for  placing  be- 
fore us  the  beauty  of  such  a  complete  young  life?  His 
story  may  be  told  briefly  and  simply,  for  it  is  not  the 
beauty  of  words  and  language  that  brings  home  to  the 
heart  the  sanctity  of  a  life,  but  the  understanding  of 
the  earnest  spirit  with  which  he  ever  served  God. 

The  life  of  a  saint  is  nearer  to  us  than  the  lives  of 
other  men.  We  know  that  if  we  are  to  gain  the  laurel 
of  an  eternal  crown  our  heroism  must  be  like  his,  and 
when  we  see  that  he  who  has  become  great  in  holiness 
had  his  trials  and  struggles  to  reach  that  end,  it  encour- 
ages us  to  aim  at  a  higher  life. 

-  • 

The  youth  whose  life  claims  the  admiration  of  all  who 
love  what  is  good  and  beautiful  belonged  to  the  princely 

family  of  the   Gonzagas.      His   father  was   Ferdinand 

• 
Gonzaga,  an  Italian  noble,  who,  at  the  period  when  our 

story  begins,  was  residing  in  the  court  of  King  Philip  of 
Spain. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century,  King 
Philip  II,  of  Spain,  was  at  the  height  of  his  power.  His 


His  Early  Life.  21 

name  was  one  of  the  most  honored,  his  fame  widespread, 
and  his  court  one  of  the  gayest.  After  the  death  of  his 
wife,  Mary  Tudor,  Queen  of  England,  he  married 
Isabella,  daughter  of  Henry  II,  of  France.  On  her 
departure  from  her  native  land,  Isabella  brought  with 
her,  as  maid  of  honor,  her  intimate  companion,  Martha 
de  Santena,  who  was  descended  from  a  noble  family. 

Martha's  father  was  the  Baron  of  Santena,  Lord  of 
Chieri,  and  the  ruler  of  several  independent  fiefs ;  her 
mother  was  Anna  della  Rovere,  daughter  of  the  Duke 
of  Urbino.  Closely  connected  with  the  royal  household 
of  France,  Martha,  from  her  childhood,  was  the  constant 
friend  of  Isabella.  In  Spain  this  friendship  continued, 
and  often  when  the  Queen  was  troubled  in  spirit  she 
would  seek  her  faithful  friend,  confide  in  her,  and  find 
comfort  from  Martha's  sympathetic  soul. 

The  latter's  noble  character,  her  deep  affection,  her 
tender  nature,  her  .innocence,  her  prudence  were  always 
sources  of  guidance  and  consolation.  Such  was  she  who 
was  to  be  the  mother  of  St.  Aloysius,  one  who  united 


22  Life  of  St.  Aloysius* 

in    herself   all    the   qualities    of   a    faithful    friend,    the 
virtues  of  a  noble  and  a  holy  woman. 

In  the  year  1566,  the  visit  of  the  King's  nephews,  the 
Archdukes  Rudolph  and  Ernest,  of  Austria,  was  the 
occasion  of  great  festivity.  In  their  train  came  many 
German  and  Italian  nobles,  who  helped  to  make 
old  Madrid  more  than  ever  a  scene  of  royal  pag- 
eantry. Among  the  most  honored  was  Ferdinand 
Gonzaga,  the  Marquis  of  Castiglione.  He  was  a  man 
then  past  middle  age.  All  his  life  had  been  spent 
in  the  camp  and  amid  the  dangers  of  war;  and  yet, 
among  the  frivolities  of  court-life,  among  the  dangers  of 
the  field,  he  always  preserved  the  spirit  of  a  Catholic. 
A  soldier  among  soldiers,  always  ready  for  battle,  ever 
ready  to  fight  for  his  country  and  his  faith,  he  loved, 
perhaps  to  excess,  glory  and  honor.  Sprung  from  one 
of  the  noblest  families  of  Italy  he  was  respected  and 
honored  at  court.  In  all,  he  was  a  chivalrous  knight 
of  the  age ;  such  a  one  as  we  might  picture  Ignatius  of 
Loyola,  before  the  siege  of  Pampeluna. 


His  Early  Life.  23 

It  was  on  this  occasion  then,  at  the  court  of  Madrid, 
that  Ferdinand  Gonzaga  first  met  Martha  de  Santena. 
He  learned  to  appreciate  her  character  and  to  admire 
her  piety.  The  camps,  the  glory  of  a  soldier's  life,  faded 
from  his  vision  as  he  gazed  upon  her  in  admiration. 

One  who  has  found  a  long-sought  treasure  can  scarcely 
conceal  his  joy ;  his  face  beams  with  gladness ;  his  heart 
throbs  with  happiness.  With  such  feelings  did  Gonzaga 
gaze  upon  the  bright  and  beautiful  flower  that  attracted 
him  in  the  court  of  Philip. 

He  had  met  many  a  maiden  in  his  travels  in  Spain 
and  Italy  who  gladly  would  have  consented  to  be  the 
bride  of  the  princely  soldier,  but  not  until  now  did 
Ferdinand  meet  his  ideal  of  beauty,  nobility  and  piety. 
But  this  gem  was  not  to  be  easily  obtained. 

Determined  to  seek  her  in  marriage,  he  made  known 
his  purpose  to  the  King  and  Queen.  In  one  of  those 
pleasant  hours  which  the  Queen  often  spent  with  her 
friend,  Isabella  tenderly  expressed  her  wish  that  Martha 
should  become  the  wife  of  Ferdinand  Gonzaga. 


24  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

At  first   the   maiden   hesitated.     She  was    still   very 
young ;  he  had  already  passed  the  meridian  of  life  ;  she 
was  retired  and  humble,  caring  little  for  a  worldly  life;, 
he  found  his  whole  pleasure  in  the  world  and  in  seeking 
glory  and  fame. 

But  to  please  the  Queen,  Martha  was  willing  to  con- 
sider her  wish.  She  frequently  prayed,  consulted  her 
confessor ;  and  finally,  after  long  communication  with 
her  own  soul,  she  agreed  to  become  the  wife  of  the 
Marquis  of  Castiglione. 

After  the  preparations  were  made,  the  wedding  was 
celebrated  with  all  the  pomp  and  rejoicing  of  a  brilliant 
court.  Surrounded  by  the  brightest  social  lights  of 
Europe,  by  chivalrous  knights  and  noble  ladies,  in  the 
presence  of  the  king  and  queen,  Ferdinand  Gonzaga 
and  Martha  de  Santena  were  married.  And  yet  all  this 
splendor  did  not  hide  from  the  eyes  of  the  happy  pair 
their  duty  to  God.  On  the  day  of  the  wedding  they 
prepared  by  the  reception  of  Holy  communion.  And 
while  in  that  earthly  court  ladies  smiled  and  nobles 


His  Early  Life.  2$ 

congratulated,  there  was  One  in  the  highest,  the  court 
of  heaven  itself,  Who  looked  down  upon  that  happy 
scene  and  saw  fit  to  bless  that  union  with  His  special 
graces. 

Soon  after  the  wedding,  the  marquis  with  his  wife 
returned  to  his  home  at  Castiglione.  Here  Martha, 
freed  from  the  cares  of  court  life,  continued  and  even 
increased  her  pious  devotions.  Her  constant  prayer 
was  that  she  might  have  a  son  who  would  be  entirely 
devoted  to  the  service  of  God.  The  marquis,  too, 
hoped  for  a  son,  but  not  for  the  same  purpose  as  his 
wife.  As  from  childhood  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
the  life  of  a  soldier,  and  had  sought  glory  for  the  name 
of  Gonzaga  even  on  the  battlefield,  so  he  wished  a  son 
who  would  keep  that  name  in  honor  before  the  world. 

On  the  ninth  of  March,  1 568,  at  this  happy  home, 
Aloysius  was  born  ;  a  child  destined  to  be  one  of  the 
greatest  saints  that  the  world  has  ever  known.  Scarcely 
had  he  come  into  this  world  when  the  stain  of  original 
sin  was  removed  by  baptism,  and  from  that  time 


26  Life  of  vSV.  Aloysius. 

onward  his  soul  was  as  clear  as  the  cloudless  summer 
sky,  as  free  from  any  stain  as  the  newly  fallen  snow. 

He  blossomed  forth  as  beautiful  as  a  flower  under  the 
sunshine  of  a  mother's  love.  Like  Elizabeth,  the  mother 
of  St.  Bernard,  Martha  devoted  all  her  care  to  teach- 
ing and  directing  her  son.  And  Aloysius  was  certainly 
blessed  in  having  such  a  mother,  for  no  one  has  more 
power  to  form  a  noble  character  than  a  good  and  holy 
mother. 

Her  gentle  voice  calms  and  soothes  him,  teaches 
him  tenderness,  moulds  him  to  goodness;  for  as 
the  most  delicate  touch  of  the  sculptor's  chisel  or  of 
the  painter's  brush  helps  to  delineate  the  features  which 
the  artist  wishes  to  represent,  so  each  touch,  each  word, 
each  glance  of  the  mother  helps  to  mould  and  form  the 
disposition,  and  to  influence  the  character,  of  her  child. 
This  Martha  de  Santena  knew,  and  she  endeavored  to 
teach  him,  above  all  things,  piety  and  the  love  of  God. 
Every  day  she  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  the  in- 
fant's hand ,  she  repeated  again  and  again  the  names  of 


His  Early  Life.  27 

Our  Lord  and  of  His  Blessed  Mother  until  at  last  her 
heart  throbbed  with  joy  when  she  saw  the  lips  part  and 
utter  the  words  "Jesus,"  "Mary." 

It  seems  that  these  two  names  tell  the  whole  life  of 
St.  Aloysius.  He  imitated  Our  Lord  not  only  in  inno- 
cence, but  as  far  as  possible  in  suffering ;  and  from  the 
time  of  his  birth  he  was  under  the  protection  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  and  mirrored  her  purity  and  love  for 
God. 

As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  speak  distinctly,  his  mother 
taught  Aloysius  to  say  the  Our  Father  and  Hail  Mary. 
From  the  time  our  saint  first  began  to  say  these  pray- 
ers, he  loved  to  go  apart  and  pray;  for  even  at  this 
early  age,  when  he  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  the 
words  he  uttered,  he  would  hide  in  some  corner  and 
there  repeat  the  two  prayers  his  mother  had  taught  him. 

But  the  marquis  did  not  like  this  training  for  Aloy- 
sius. Such  education,  he  thought,  would  not  fit  him  to 
be  a  soldier.  An  opportunity  offered  itself  for  the 
marquis  to  place  him  in  a  more  martial  atmosphere. 


28  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

The  infidels  were  about  to  wage  war  on  Tunis,  one 
of  Philip's  African  provinces,  and  the  king  gave  Gon- 
zaga  the  command  of  three  thousand  soldiers,  then  in 
training  at  Casal.  Overjoyed  to  be  once  more  called 
to  fight  for  his  God  and  his  king  the  marquis  prepared 
to  set  out  on  his  journey. 

He  determined  to  take  Aloysius  with  him,  hop- 
ing that  the  surroundings  of  the  camp  would  give  a 
different  turn  to  the  boy's  fancies.  His  mother  was 
loath  to  allow  him  to  go,  especially  as  he  was  but  four 
years  of  age.  But  the  marquis  would  not  yield,  and  so 
Aloysius,  arrayed  in  complete  armor,  started  with  his 
father  for  the  camp.  As  may  be  supposed  the  warlike 
surroundings  kindled  in  the  boy's  breast  a  spirit  of 
courage.  To  make  his  life  at  camp  still  further  at- 
tractive the  marquis  allowed  his  son  to  carry  a  small 
flask  of  powder  and  a  miniature  musket.  Aloysius 
took  great  pleasure  in  loading  and  firing  his  tiny  weap- 
on, and  in  the  review  gained  admiration  by  his  clever 
imitation  of  the  soldiers. 


His  Early  Life.  29 

But  the  privilege  of  carrying  powder  was  taken  from 
him  on  account  of  an  accident.  Once,  while  loading 
his  piece,  all  the  powder  he  had  about  him  exploded 
in  his  face.  Providentially  he  escaped  any  serious 
harm,  as  he  was  but  slightly  burned  ;  but  this  incident 
caused  the  marquis  to  be  more  cautious  in  regard  to 
his  son. 

For  some  time  Aloysius  considered  himself  disgraced 
on  account  of  the  unskillful  use  of  his  ammunition,  and 
one  day  he  determined  to  redeem  his  reputation. 

While  the  soldiers  in  camp  were  taking  their  usual 
after-dinner  nap,  Aloysius  quietly  crept  among  them  and 
opening  one  of  the  men's  cartridge-boxes  took  out  a 
charge  of  powder.  He  scampered  with  his  prize  back 
to  the  castle  and  there  loaded  and  fired  a  field-piece, 
barely  escaping  death  from  its  recoil.  In  a  moment  the 
whole  camp  was  in  confusion.  It  must  be  something 
unusual  that  causes  a  cannon  to  be  fired  at  such  an 
hour!  The  marquis  cannot  understand  it  and  fears 
it  may  be  the  signal  for  a  mutiny.  He  prepares  to 


30  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

punish  the  offenders ;  but  what  is  his  surprise  and 
delight  when  he  learns  that  Aloysius  had  fired  the 
cannon  for  his  own  amusement.  Still  he  would  not  let 
the  misdemeanor  pass  unnoticed,  and  threatened  to 
punish  the  boy,  but  the  soldiers  secured  his  pardon. 

A  short  time  after  this  incident,  as  the  marquis  set 
sail  for  Tunis,  Aloysius  was  sent  home  to  Castiglione. 
On  the  journey  homeward  his  tutor  heard  Aloysius 
using  some  oaths  which  he  had  learned  from  the  soldiers 
in  camp. 

Roaming  at  will  among  the  men  he  naturally  heard 
words  scarcely  fitted  for  his  ears,  and  without  hav- 
ing the  slightest  knowledge  of  their  meaning,  he  re- 
peated them. 

But  what  was  his  grief  on  learning  that  they  were 
wrong.  He  wept  tears  of  bitter  sorrow  and  ever  af- 
terwards in  life  he  considered  this  fault  enough  to 
make  him  suffer  the  harshest  penances. 

What  a  lesson  in  the  sorrow  of  this  little  child  for 

t 

his  unconscious  offence  !     We,  who  struggle  along  the 


His  Early  Life.  31 

weary  road  over  rough  stones  and  opposing  snares,  often 
alas  falling,  rising  but  to  fall  again  as  we  continue  our 
journey,  can  we  not  behold  in  this  picture  of  a  saint,  of 
a  child  weeping  for  such  a  fault,  can  we  not  see  there 
what  true  contrition  is  ?  Certainly  this  fault  of  Aloy- 
sius  was  very  trivial.  But  if  it  appear  at  the  most  a 
little  fault  to  us,  to  Aloysius  it  seemed  a  very  grave 
one. 

When  Aloysius  arrived  home,  after  the  first  fond 
greetings  of  his  mother,  he  began  to  tell  of  his  misdo- 
ings and  escapes  at  the  camp. 

She  not  only  thanked  God  herself,  but  told  Aloysius 
that  he  should  thank  Him  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  for 
his  escape  from  danger.  We  may  rightly  suppose  that 
God  had  a  special  object  in  preserving  this  child  from 
death,  both  in  the  two  incidents  already  narrated  and 
in  his  miraculous  escape  afterwards  from  fire. 

God  had  chosen  him  as  the  brightest  gem  among  the 
nobility  of  Europe.  He  had  chosen  him  to  ascend  from 
earth  to  live  in  the  region  of  Heaven.  As  the  eagle  in 


32  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

his  flight  soars  on  high  and  gazes  steadily  upon  the  sun, 
so  Aloysius,  with  the  aid  of  God,  was  to  rise  above  the 
throngs  about  him,  to  ascend  before  the  light  of  Heaven. 
The  bright  rays  of  innocence  and  humility  were  to  rest 
upon  him,  the  fire  of  true  love  was  to  burn  within  his 
heart ;  the  spirit  of  Jesus  Himself  was  to  animate  his 
soul. 

For  a  few  years  after  his  return,  since  the  marquis 
was  engaged  in  the  war  at  Tunis,  Aloysius  was  left 
alone  with  his  mother. 

Can  we  not  imagine  how  every  morning,  as  the 
sunlight  gleamed  through  the  window,  this  happy 
mother  would  call  Aloysius  to  her  knee  and  teach 
him  some  new  prayer,  some  new  precept,  speak  to 
him  of  God  and  of  the  love  of  the 'Blessed  Virgin? 
And  can  we  not  see,  too,  that  face  of  the  little  saint 
gazing  into  his  mother's  eyes,  angelic  with  reverence, 
earnest  with  the  pure  attention  of  a  loving  child  ?  Can 
we  not  see  those  features  gleam  with  joy,  as  he  learns 
some  new  truth  of  the  God  he  loves. 


His  Early  Life.  33 

And  when  we  dwell  upon  this  scene,  are  we 
not  irresistibly  carried  back  to  those  days  of  Naz- 
areth, where,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  it  is  told  that  "  the  Child  grew  and  waxed 
strong,  full  of  wisdom  and  of  grace  before  God  and 
before  men?" 

The  war  at  Tunis  and  his  duties  as  chamberlain 
detained  the  marquis  from  home  for  two  years,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  period  he  returned  once  more  to  his 
family. 

He  found  the  idol  of  his  heart  a  model  of  wisdom 
and  sanctity,  but  he  was  far  from  pleased,  for  the  mar- 
tial bearing  which  he  had  taken  so  much  trouble  to 
develop  had  entirely  disappeared.  However,  he  did  not 
despair,  for  another  opportunity  of  taking  the  saint 
from  his  mother  offered  itself.  A  terrible  plague  was 
raging  in  Italy,  and  on  its  approach  to  Castiglione  the 
Gonzagas  fled  to  Monteferrato.  Here  the  health  of  the 
marquis  began  to  fail,  and  his  physicians  ordered  him 
to  the  baths  at  Lucca. 


34  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

He  repaired  to  that  place,  taking  with  him  his  two 
sons,  whom  he  intended  to  leave  at  Florence,  at  that 
time  a  great  educational  centre. 

The  mother  of  Aloysius  was  deeply  distressed  when 
her  children  were  removed  from  her  watchful  care,  and 
she  begged  the  little  saint  to  guide  his  brother  Ralph, 
who  was  apt  to  fall  into  danger  on  account  of  his  love 
for  the  world.  Aloysius,  after  promising  to  take  good 
care  of  his  brother,  set  out  for  his  destination  with  a 
heavy  heart,  for  he  knew  that  he  would  be  surrounded 
by  many  trials. 

On  his  arrival  at  Florence  the  young  prince  was 
received  with  great  pomp ;  all  the  nobles  were  anxious 
to  welcome  him,  but  the  pious  boy,  then  only  nine 
years  old,  shunned  pleasure  and  sought  union  with  God 
in  prayer.  It  was  at  Florence  that  he  made  his  first 
confession,  and  so  overcome  with  grief  was  he  at  the 
thought  of  ever  having  offended  God,  that  he  fainted 
at  his  confessor's  feet. 

The  advice  which  the  good  priest  gave  the  young 


His  Early  Life.  35 

saint  was  not  lost,  for  it  increased  his  humility,  and  he 
behaved  with  such  self-abasement  in  the  presence  of  the 
servants,  that  on  several  occasions  they  were  obliged  to 
remonstrate  with  him. 

He  guarded  his  tongue  with  the  greatest  diligence, 
seldom  speaking  to  the  members  of  his  own  household, 
for  he  knew  that  by  keeping  a  watch  over  his  words 
many  sins  would  be  avoided. 

The  remembrance  of  Florence  was  ever  afterward 
sweet  to  him,  for  it  was  here  that  he  took  the  first  de- 
cisive step  to  renounce  the  world  ;  it  was  here  also  that 
he  made  a  vow  of  perpetual  chastity. 

After  leaving  Florence,  while  at  Mantua,  he  was  at- 
tacked by  a  disease  which  necessitated  a  constant 
abstinence,  and  even  when  cured  he  refused  to  give  up 
his  meagre  diet.  His  friends  vainly  begged  him;  his 
answer  was  invariably  the  same,  that  such  a  course  had 
proven  beneficial  to  his  soul. 

At  Mantua  he  shunned  all  society,  never  leaving  the 
house  except  to  attend  mass  or  visit  his  uncle. 


36  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

As  Aloysius'  desire  for  a  religious  life  became  more 
and  more  ardent  every  day,  and  as  he  had  resolved  to 
relinquish  all  claim  to  title  and  inheritance,  as  a  pre- 
liminary step  he  begged  exemption  from  attendance 
at  court. 

His  father  thinking  that  this  might  be  due  to  ill- 
health,  sent  him  to  Castiglione  for  a  change  of  air. 
Here  he  was  received  with  great  joy  by  his  mother, 
who  noticed  that  his  rosy  complexion  had  disap- 
peared. But  there  was  an  air  of  sanctity  about  the 
child  far  more  pleasing  to  her.  However,  she  thought 
it  her  duty  to  try  to  dissuade  him  from  his  severe  fasts. 
She  resorted  to  every  means,  but  arguments  and  en- 
treaties were  alike  vain,  for  although  Aloysius  listened 
with  respect  he  was  unwilling  to  desist  from  the  prac- 
tice of  penance. 

He  cultivated  every  opportunity  of  growing  in  holi- 
ness, and  rejoiced  greatly  when  he  was  taught  to  con- 
template the  Divine  Mysteries  and  to  meditate  on  the 
truths  of  Redemption.  This  meditation  was  productive 


His  Early  Life.  37 

of  good  results,  for  it  tended  to  strengthen  his  union 
with  God  by  raising  his  mind  and  soul  far  above 
the  things  of  this  earth.  He  spent  a  great  part  of  the 
day  in  devotions,  seldom  changing  his  position,  and  so 
fervent  was  he  that  he  was  frequently  found  prostrate 
before  the  crucifix,  pouring  forth  tears  of  repentance 
for  his  slightest  imperfections.  It  mattered  little  to 
him  whether  he  was  on  the  street  or  in  his  room,  his 
life  was  filled  with  the  spirit  of  prayer. 

But  it  must  not  be  thought  that  the  saint's  only 
occupation  was  prayer,  for  he  found  leisure  to  perform 
numerous  charitable  deeds.  He  devoted  his  time  to 
teaching,  not  only  children,  but  also  grown  people 
who  clustered  about  him  and  listened  with  the  great- 
est respect  and  attention  to  his  explanations  of  the 
catechism. 

The  next  important  step  in  the  life  of  Aloysius  was 
his  first  communion,  for  which  he  was  prepared  by 
St.  Charles  Borromeo,  who  was  at  that  time  in  Castig- 
lione.  The  holy  child  made  the  acquaintance  of  the 


38  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

venerable  prelate,  to  whom  he  laid  bare  his  whole  soul. 
St.  Charles  wondered  that  one  so  young  should  have 
reached  such  a  degree  of  perfection,  and  he  instructed 
the  youth  to  begin  his  preparations  for  first  com- 
munion. 

Aloysius  prepared  his  soul  by  prayer  and  penance 
for  the  day  which  he  accounted  one  of  the  happiest 
of  his  life. 

The  memorable  event  was  indeed  one  of  exceeding 
joy  to  him,  and  it  must  have  been  gratifying  to  St. 
Charles  to  give  the  Blessed  Sacrament  to  one  whom 
he  knew  must  be  very  pleasing  to  his  Lord. 

So  great  was  his  fervor  that  at  every  mass  which  he 
heard,  he  burst  into  tears  at  the  consecration,  and  did 
not  cease  weeping  until  the  mass  was  over. 

In  fact,  from  this  day  forth  there  was  a  marked 
change  in  the  life  of  St.  Aloysius,  every  action  bore 
testimony  to  the  love  for  Jesus  Christ  which  he  had 
learned  in  his.  first  holy  communion.  His  confessions 
were  models  of  humility,  care  and  contrition,  and  they 


His  Early  Life.  39 

filled  with  admiration  the  priest  who  had  the  happiness 
of  being  his  spiritual  adviser. 

A  short  time  after  Aloysius  had  received  first  com- 
munion, the  family  was  summoned  to  Casal  by  the 
marquis,  and  the  journey  thither  almost  proved  fatal 
to  the  young  saint. 

In  crossing  a  turbulent  stream  the  horses  became 
detached  from  the  carriage,  which  was  tossed  about 
to  the  great  danger  of  its  occupants.  The  dangerous 
position  in  which  Aloysius  was  placed  did  not  seem 
to  disturb  him  in  the  least,  and  he  remained  as  if  un- 
conscious, quietly  praying  until  rescued. 

This  fortunate  escape  made  the  meeting  with  his 
father  all  the  more  affectionate.  But  when  the  mar- 
quis gazed  on  the  pallid  countenance  of  his  saintly 
child,  he  could  not  refrain  from  rebuking  him  for  his 
rigorous  mode  of  living.  His  reproaches,  however, 
although  listened  to  with  the  greatest  humility  and 
respect,  did  not  change  the  penitential  spirit  of  Aloy- 
sius. 


40  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

His  aspirations  were  always  a  subject  of  annoy- 
ance to  his  father,  who  determined  to  allure  him 
from  the  thought  of  a  religious  life  by  worldly  diver- 
sions ;  accordingly  he  sought  to  make  him  join  in  the 
games  with  the  other  princes.  But  it  was  all  to  no 
purpose.  He  sent  him  to  Milan  to  be  present  at  a 
pageant,  in  which  all  the  nobles  of  the  surrounding 
provinces  were  to  participate.  Aloysius  respected 
his  father's  wishes  by  accepting  a  prominent  position 
among  the  nobles,  but  saw  little  of  it  all.  His  heart 
was  with  God,  he  could  not  find  time  for  such  pleasure. 

However,  he  was  not  without  some  recreation,  for 
oftentimes  he  engaged  in  discussion  with  the  monks 
of  the  neighborhood,  and  perhaps  it  was  partly  due  to 
this  that  he  now  resolved  to  embrace  the  religious 
state. 

When  he  had  made  this  final  decision,  he  began 
to  live  in  a  spirit  of  penance  as  a  religious.  He 
did  not  allow  a  fire  to  be  kindled  in  his  room  even  on 
the  coldest  nights.  In  consequence,  his  hands  became 


His  Early  Life.  41 

so  inflamed  and  swollen  from  the  severe  cold  as  to  ex- 
cite great  pity  on  the  part  of  others,  but  the  little  suf- 
ferer would  take  no  remedy  to  relieve  his  pains. 

Notwithstanding  this  and  the  other  severe  penances 
referred  to,  the  holy  youth  imposed  on  himself  addi- 
tional mortifications,  which  reduced  him  to  a  mere 
skeleton,  and  rendered  his  life  one  of  constant  torture. 

His  family  remonstrated  with  him,  but  he  felt  the 
inspiration  to  become  a  great  saint  by  interior  and 
exterior  penance,  and  how  faithfully  he  carried  out  his 
project  can  be  seen  in  the  rest  of  his  life. 

His  prayers,  which  were  very  numerous,  were  not 
interrupted  by  the  most  severe  illness,  and  on  one 
occasion  his  ardor  nearly  cost  him  his  life. 

One  night,  overcome  by  extreme  weakness,  and 
desiring  to  continue  his  devotions,  he  threw  himself 
on  his  bed  and  placed  a  lighted  candle  at  his  side. 
But  he  had  taxed  his  strength  too  much,  and  very  soon 
he  fell  into  a  sound  sleep,  from  which  he  was  awakened 
by  intense  heat.  The  candle  had  set  fire  to  his  bed. 


42  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

When  he  arose,  flames  darted  from  the  burning  bed  in 
every  direction. 

Aloysius  never  ceased  to  feel  gratitude  to  God  for 
his  preservation  from  such  a  terrible  death.  And  he 
was  more  grateful  because  it  was  not  the  first  time 
that  his  Lord  had  visibly  preserved  him  from  dangers 
of  soul  and  body. 

In  giving  thanks  for  his  preservation,  he  did  not 
know  of  the  glorious  end  which  God  had  in  store 
for  him,  or  that  his  life  had  been  saved  because 
his  Maker  wished  him  to  live  as  a  model  of  virtue  for 
the  youth  of  all  time.  Humility,  with  a  nobleness  of 
spirit  beyond  conception,  modesty  and  purity  fostered  ' 
as  the  most  precious  ornaments  of  the  soul,  contempt 
for  wealth  and  honor,  all  combined  to  make  him  pleas- 
ing in  the  eyes  of  God  and  worthy  of  the  love,  admira- 
tion and  imitation  of  men.  And  holy  though  his 
boyhood  was,  his  youth  was  not  less  admirable  for  its 
sanctity. 


CHAPTER  II. 
HIS    PURITY   AND    PENANCE. 

A   MONG    the    many    qualities   which    so    eminently 
fitted  Aloysius  to  be  the  patron  of  youth,  was 
the  purity  for  which  he  was  so  conspicuous  throughout 
his  whole  life. 

Great  though  his  other  virtues  were,  that  may  be  said 
to  have  outshone  them  all ;  and  were  all  his  other  saintly 
qualities  lost  sight  of,  this  one  alone  would  suffice  to 
obtain  for  him  that  love  and  veneration  with  which  the 
Church  to-day  regards  him.  Even  in  his  earliest  child- 
hood, long  before  the  use  of  reason,  he  gave  promise  of 
reaching  that  perfection  -of  innocence  which  can  be 
likened  only  to  that  which  the  angels  possess.  And  in 


44  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

his  later  life,  when  surrounded  by  all  that  was  calculated 
to  divert  his  mind  to  worldly  things,  he  never  once  lost 
that  baptismal  purity  which  has  made  him  so  attractive 
to  the  young. 

This  was  not  only  because  he  was  fortified  against 
such  temptations  by  grace,  but  also  because  he  recog- 
nized the  beauty  and  loveliness  of  innocence,  because 
he  knew  its  delicacy  and  frailty,  and  the  ease  with 
which  its  lustre  could  be  dimmed. 

So  blameless  was  his  life,  that  words  would  fail  to  do 
justice  to  the  subject.  The  first  years  of  his  childhood 
were  well  calculated  to  plant  in  his  heart  the  germs  of 
that  holiness  which  blossomed  afterwards  into  so  fair  a 
flower.  He  enjoyed  the  devoted  care  of  a  mother 
whose  dearest  wish  was  to  see  her  son  consecrated 
wholly  to  God's  service,  and  the  child's  innocence  and 
natural  meekness  of  character  served  to  increase  her 
expectations. 

She  knew  that  the  impressions  longest  retained,  are 
those  which  have  been  made  in  early  childhood ;  that 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  45 

the  habits  formed  then  are  always  remembered,  and 
influence  the  whole  after-life. 

On  every  occasion  she  instilled  into  his  mind  some 
holy  precept,  and  her  admonitions  fell  upon  good 
ground.  Her  child  was  unusually  bright,  and  his 
mother  found  it  an  easy  task  to  correct  his  faults  and 
to  inculcate  pious  and  virtuous  sentiments.  Aloysius 
responded  to  all  his  mother's  endeavors,  and  even  at 
a  very  early  age  exhibited  extraordinary  holiness  and 
desire  of  a  perfect  life. 

The  rough  manners  of  the  camp  and  the  temptations 
of  the  court  could  not  sully  with  any  great  stain,  that  in- 
nocent soul  which  she  had  moulded  to  God's  service. 

The  incident  of  the  camp  that  has  been  alluded  to  in 
the  first  chapter  shows  how  deep-rooted  were  the  lessons 
his  mother  had  implanted  in  his  heart,  and  how  far, 
even  at  the  age  of  four,  he  had  advanced  in  steadfast 
holiness.  For  trifling  though  this  circumstance  was  in 
itself,  it  exercised  an  important  influence  upon  the 
young  saint's  after-life. 


46  Life  of  St.  Aloysius, 

He  considered  his  offense  as  almost  unpardonable, 
and  although,  taking  into  consideration  his  youthfulness 
and  the  fact  that  he  was  wholly  unconscious  of  any 
wrong-doing,  we  might  suppose  a  slight  penance  would 
make  ample  atonement  for  such  a  venial  sin,  Aloysius 
took  no  such  view  of  the  matter. 

He  made  it  the  sin  of  his  life-time,  and  even  the  rigor- 
ous penances  and  constant  mortifications  which  he 
afterwards  practiced,  did  not  seem  sufficient  to  atone 
for  this  offense.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  certainly  led  to 
beneficial  results. 

His  life  in  the  world  was  such  as  to  elicit  the  admir- 
ation of  all  with  whom  he  associated.  He  placed  a 
guard  upon  his  lips,  and  to  such  an  extreme  did  he 
carry  his  modesty  that  it  is  related  he  never  looked  upon 
the  face  of  a  woman. 

Nor  was  Aloysius  satisfied  with  being  innocent 
himself:  he  made  and  kept  others  so.  Such  was  his 
horror  of  sin,  especially  the  sin  of  impurity,  that 
the  uttering  of  an  immodest  word  by  others  would 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  47 

cause  a  blush  to  mantle  his  cheeks  and  make  him 
seek  relief  from  his  feelings  of  sorrow  at  the  offense  to 
God,  in  copious  bursts  of  tears. 

We  have  other  manifestations  of  the  innocence  of  the 
heart  of  St.  Aloysius  in  his  life  at  the  court  of  Spain. 
There  he  was  beset  with  all  worldly  temptations,  but 
they  served  only  to  make  him  recognize  his  helplessness 
and  entire  dependence  upon  God. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  devil  had  no  power  against 
him,  for  he  kept  his  spotless  robe  of  innocence 
unsullied  until  his  death.  It  was  no  wonder  that 
St.  Charles  Borromeo  rejoiced  that  it  should  be  his 
fortune  to  give  the  Bread  of  Life  to  one  whose  inno- 
cence had  already  declared  him  to  be  a  saint.  He  was 
the  theme  of  conversation  among  all  who  knew  him  in 
the  world,  and  their  admiration  for  his  holiness  was  un- 
bounded, as  later  in  the  novitiate  he  was  the  source  of 
edification,  not  only  to  those  who  were  preparing  with 
him  for  the  priesthood,  but  to  the  priests  themselves, 
many  of  whom  were  already  eminent  for  their  sanctity. 


48  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Truly,  there  could  be  no  better  model  proposed  to 
youth  for  imitation  than  St.  Aloysius.  Joined  with 
that  perfect  innocence,  we  find  in  St.  Aloysius  an 
amazing  love  of  penance.  Perhaps,  in  some  other 
saints,  there  was  some  grievous  sin  that  induced  them 
to  mortify  themselves,  but,  as  we  have  seen,  the  life 
of  Aloysius  was  spotless.  There  was  no  very  urgent 
necessity  for  him  to  practice  mortification,  and  it  was 
his  pure  love  for  God  that  sought  to  express  itself  in 
this  manner. 

Many  would  consider  it  wrong  to  torture  the  body 
when  one  has  never  grievously  offended  God,  but  St. 
Aloysius  did  not  look  at  it  in  this  light.  He  knew  the 
temptations  of  the  world  and  of  the  flesh,  and  he  sought 
the  best  means  to  combat  them.  He  knew  also  that 
man's  worst  enemy  is  himself,  and  he  practiced  morti- 
fication to  subdue  himself,  that  the  body  might  not 
enslave  the  soul. 

He  pictured  to  himself  the  Saviour's  life  on  earth, 
His  sufferings,  His  passion,  His  crucifixion,  and  he 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  49 

wished  to  testify  his  love  for  God  by  imitating 
Him.  He  thought  of  the  martyrs  dying  nobly 
for  their  faith  and  rejoicing  in  their  afflictions,  and 
he  desired  to  share  their  glory  in  heaven  by  experi- 
encing some  of  their  sufferings  on  earth.  The  body 
is  a  reminder  of  the  world,  and  it  was  Aloysius'  desire 
to  sever  his  connection  with  the  world.  And  thus  it 
acquired  for  him  many  graces  and  procured  for  him  a 
greater  reward.  It  made  his  life  the  holier  and  his 
memory  the  more  revered. 

And  his  spirit  of  penance  as  well  as  his  inno- 
cence has  fitted  him  to  be  the  patron  of  youth — 
a  model  well  worthy  of  imitation  in  teaching  self- 
restraint,  a  contempt  for  a  life  of  softness  and  ease, 
and  not  only  a  willingness,  but  an  eagerness  to  suffer  if 
necessary,  to  avoid  sin. 

Throughout  the  preceding  pages,  in  reviewing  the 
many  virtues  which  so  eminently  distinguish  Aloy- 
sius as  a  model  of  -innocence  and  purity,  none  of  his 
heavenly  gifts  impress  us  more  forcibly  than  this  rigor 


50  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

of  his  mortification.  Ever  faithful  in  the  performance 
of  the  many  stringent  obligations  which  he  voluntar- 
ily imposed  upon  himself,  he  was  not  the  less  so  in 
the  practice  of  mortifying  his  body. 

And  so  rigorously  did  he,  throughout  his  whole  life, 
adhere  to  this  practice  that  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
his  love,  at  all  times  most  pure  and  sincere,  was  doubly 
so  in  his  meditation  on  the  Divine  Passion  of  our  Lord. 

With  a  heart  susceptible  as  it  was  to  the  miseries 
and  wants  of  others,  he  was  never  more  sensitive  than 
in  contemplating  the  bitter  trials  that  marked  our 
Lord's  Passion.  Never  did  Aloysius  seek  for  recrea- 
tion, even  at  that  age  when  youth  most  demands  it ; 
but  while  his  companions  were  enjoying  their  youthful 
games  he  would  retire  to  some  quiet  corner,  where  he 
might  be  unobserved,  and  there,  with  childlike  delight, 
he  would  meditate  on  the  Divine  mysteries. 

So  proficient  did  Aloysius  become  in  meditation,  in 
that  form  of  mental  prayer,  which,  above  all  others, 
is  the  source  of  sanctity,  that  his  whole  being  was 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  51 

transformed,  and  he  seemed  to  enjoy  the  vision  of  the 
angels. 

In  man,  the  highest  virtue  is  his  love  for  his  Maker, 
God,  and  although  this  love  asserts  itself,  as  it  necessar- 
ily must,  in  various  ways,  yet  none  is  more  essential 
than  self-denial,  as  is  evident  from  the  lives  of  the 
Saints,  and  not  the  least  from  that  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Men  seem  to  shrink  and  tremble  beneath  the 
slightest  bodily  sufferings,  rarely  viewing  them  in  a 
Christian  spirit,  or  looking  upon  them  as  warnings, 
perhaps,  from  God.  We  may  look  for  examples  of 
heroism  .worthy  of  imitation  in  deeds  of  illustrious 
men,  but  nowhere  shall  we  find  a  more  perfect,  a  more 
profitable  example  for  the  imitation  of  youth,  than  in 
the  eagerness  of  Aloysius  to  find  the  will  of  God  by 
perfect  self-denial. 

From  his  early  childhood  Aloysius  evinced  a  great 
desire  to  deny  himself  the  many  comforts  and  pleasures 
which  his  father's  house  afforded,  fearing  that  in  indulg- 
ing in  such  vanities  he  would  be  estranging  himself 


52  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

from  God.  When  Aloysius  received  his  first  com- 
munion, his  love  for  God  increased  still  more,  and 
with  it  his  mortification. 

The  love  of  Aloysius  towards  Christ  in  his  Passion, 
inflamed  him  to  manifest  it  in  a  way  that  might  be 
pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God,  and  no  better  means 
did  he  find  than  by  imitating  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
daily,  bearing  in  his  body  "  the  marks  of  the  Passion  of 
Christ."  Every  day  of  his  life  increased  his  mortifi- 
cation :  when  at  home  he  was  always  seeking  new 
means  of  mortifying  his  flesh,  and  when  abroad  he  car- 
ried about  with  him  some  instrument  of  mortification. 

Viewing  the  life  of  St.  Aloysius  by  his  mortification 
alone,  we  have  a  model  of  consummate  perfection  for 
the  young,  to  whom  he  has  left  examples  of  innocence 
and  purity.  From  every  act  of  his  whole  life  we  may 
draw  a  practical  lesson,  for  who  can  behold  one  eo  inno- 
cent, practicing  such  rigorous  penances, 'and  not  be 
moved  to  venerate  such  hatred  of  sin,  and  to  ex- 
claim with  Aloysius  himself :  "  Would  that  I  could 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  53 

* 

love  God  with  the  fervor  which  His  Infinite  Majesty 
deserves  !  My  heart  weeps  because  Christians  show  such 
ingratitude  towards  Him." 

We  must  ever  keep  in  mind  the  tender  age  of  Aloy- 
sius  to  fully  appreciate  the  almost  incredible  heroism 
of  his  penances.  If  an  older  man  were  to  seek  such 
sufferings,  we  would  then  believe  that  he  saw  the 
worthlessness  of  life,  that  he  had  become  convinced 
of  the  great  blessings  continually  being  heaped  upon 
him,  or  was  impelled  by  the  remembrance  of  his  trans- 
gressions and  the  desire  to  atone  for  them.  This,  in- 
deed, would  be  a  praiseworthy  act.  But  how  far  more 
glorious,  how  far  more  sublime  is  it  in  a  young  man, 
a  prince,  to  inflict  upon  his  sinless  body  sufferings  de- 
served only  by  the  most  guilty  sinner! 

We  are  told  that  when  in   adoration  of  his  suffering 

Master,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  picture  of  the  cruci- 

% 
fixion,  his  hands  would  remain  clasped   before  him  and 

raised  on  high,  his  frail  body  quivering,  trembling  with 
emotion,  his  lips  parted,  and  from  his  eyes,  tears  of 


^  54  Life  of  St.  Aloysiu$. 

love  would  flow.  When  he  looked  upon  that  picture, 
all  that  Jesus  suffered  came  before  him  and  so  pained 
him  that  he  could  not  keep  back  the  tears.  When  he 
compared  his  own  life  with  that  of  his  Saviour's,  he 
would  feel  appalled  at  the  contrast,  and  fall  into  a 
swoon.  To  kneel  before  this  picture  was  a  daily  duty 
of  sorrowful  love.  No  day  passed  without  his  asking 
His  Lord  to  make  intercession  with  the  Father,  to  give 
him  the  joy  of  understanding  His  sufferings,  and  of 
becoming  better  acquainted  with  His  divine  Heart. 

For  days  and  days  he  refused  to  take  proper  nour- 
ishment. He  delighted  to  live  on  a  scanty  allowance 
of  bread  and  water,  and  would  partake  of  no  other 
food  except  when  compelled  to  do  so.  He  never  knew 
what  comfort  of  body  was,  finding  more  than  a  counter- 
balance of  solace  in  his  peace  of  soul.  So  earnest  was 
his  interpretation  of  what  he  thought  penance  to  be, 
that  he  would  allow  no  obstacle  to  hinder  him  ;  nothing, 
no  matter  with  what  sufferings  of  body  it  was  accom- 
panied, could  lead  him  astray  from  the  performance  of  it. 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  55 

The  Church  has  given  many  saints  to  her  divine 
spouse,  each  one  remarkable  for  some  distinctive  trait 
in  which  he  approached  more  nearly  to  the  Saint  of 
Saints,  Jesus  Christ.  In  one  we  admire  the  most 
ardent  charity,  in  another  we  are  awed  by  the  love  of 
poverty ;  this  one  shows  us  the  burning  zeal  of  the 
apostle,  that  other  opens  to  us  the  depths  of  humility 
to  which  a  soul  may  be  urged  by  the  love  of  God.  In 
our  young  Saint  Aloysius  we  are  amazed  at  the  com- 
pendium of  virtues  that  his  short  life  presents.  We 
behold  with  wonder  a  purity  and  an  innocence  that 
turned  in  horror  from  the  slightest  stain  of  sin ;  a  hu- 
mility that  made  him  thirst  with  an  insatiable  longing 
for  every  kind  of  abasement  in  the  eyes  of  the  world ;  a 
charity,  that  according  to  the  testimony  of  Our  Lord 
Himself,  could  not  have  reached  a  higher  degree  of 
perfection,  since  he  laid  down  his  life  for  his  fellow- 
creatures  ;  finally  a  spirit  of  mortificationf  a  love  of  suf- 

t 

fering  so  great  that  we  shall  scarcely  find  greater  in  the 
annals  of  God's  saints. 


56  Life  of  St*  Aloysius. 

In  the  first  part  of  the  present  chapter,  having  ad- 
mired his  innocence  and  love  for  penance,  we  shall 
consider  now  how  complete  this  penance  was. 

This  attraction  for  mortification  he  displayed  at  a 
very  early  age.  When  scarcely  eleven  years  old,  while 
living  at  Mantua,  his  doctors  had  counseled  him  to  be 
very  abstemious  in  his  diet.  To  obey  them  he  prac- 
ticed an  abstinence  so  rigorous  that  it  is  a  matter  of 
great  surprise  that  he  could  live.  Did  he  eat  a  whole 
egg,  which  rarely  happened,  he  considered  that  he  had 
made  a  hearty  meal.  He  continued  this  austere  fast, 
not  only  during  the  winter  which  he  passed  at  Mantua, 
but  also  during  the  entire  summer  at  Castiglione, 
though  the  doctors  and  others  about  him  dissuaded  him 
from  carrying  his  abstinence  to  such  lengths. 

He  was  moved  to  this  life  no  longer  on  account  of  his 
health,  as  was  the  general  impression,  but  out  of  a  spirit 
of  devotion,  as  he  afterwards  told  his  Confessor,  Fr. 
Jerome  Piatti.  The  malady  from  which  he  had  suffered 
disappeared  effectually  under  this  treatment,  but  he 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  57 

injured  his  stomach,  so  that  he  was  unable  to  take  or 
retain  any  food.  He  had  previously  been  quite  stout, 
but  now  he  grew  very  emaciated,  so  that  in  spite  of  a 
naturally  vigorous  constitution  he  suffered  from  ex- 
treme languor.  But  little  did  he  care  for  this  in  view 
of  the  great  advantage  that  his  soul  derived  from  this 
course  of  life.  Moreover,  it  gave  him  an  excuse  for 
avoiding  the  amusements  at  which  his  position  at  Court 
would  other-wise  have  obliged  him  to  assist. 

His  father  took  him  to  live  with  him  at  Casal,  at 
that  time  the  seat  of  the  Governors  of  Monteferrato. 
Seldom  would  he  go  out  to  see  the  pompous  ceremo- 
nies that  frequently  took  place  in  the  city,  and  when 
circumstances  obliged  him  to  go,  he  would  take  some 
out-of-the-way  seat,  keeping  his  eyes  cast  down  while 
his  soul  held  intimate  communion  with  God. 

The  marquis  returned  to  Castiglione  with  his  family. 
Aloysius  there  continued  his  usual  practices  of  penance 
and  devotion,  and  even  increased  them,  so  that  it  is 
a  matter  of  much  surprise  that  he  did  not  contract 


58  Life  of  St.  Aloynus. 

some  serious  illness,  or  that  his  parents,  who  were 
witnesses  of  his  life,  did  not  forcibly  put  a  stop  to  such 
austerities. 

Besides  the  severe  abstinence  which  he  had  adopted 
at  Mantua,  he  imposed  on  himself  many  fasts — on  Sat- 
urday, in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  ;  on  Friday,  in 
memory  of  the  Passion  of  Our  Saviour ;  and  on  Wed- 
nesday, because  it  was  a  usual  fast  day  at  that  time. 
Still  other  extraordinary  fasts  were  observed  according 
to  the  festivals  of  the  church  and  the  inspirations  of 
his  piety. 

So  little  did  he  eat,  that  some  persons  at  court, 
among  them  Camilla  Ferrari,  wondering  how  he  could 
live,  determined  to  weigh  the  food  he  habitually 
took  at  a  meal.  These  persons  testified  under  oath, 
that  what  he  ate  did  not  amount  to  one  ounce.  This 
was  evidently  much  less  than  could  be  required  to 
satisfy  the  wants  of  his  body,  and  one  is  inclined  to 
believe  that  God  Himself  undertook  to  sustain  his  life 
by  miracle,  as  He  did  for  other  saints. 


ttis  Purity  and  Penance.  $9 

He  would  choose  at  table  from  among  the  dishes 
placed  before  him  those  which  he  relished  least, 
and  after  having  tasted  them  he  would  put  them 
aside. 

But  the  rigorous  penances  hitherto  narrated  formed 
only  a  portion  of  his  austerities.  At  least  three  times  a 
week  he  scourged  himself  to  blood,  and  as  he  approached 
the  end  of  his  life  in  the  world  he  scourged  himself  in 
this  way  every  day,  and  often  three  times  during  the 
night.  At  first,  not  having  a  discipline,  he  made  one  for 
himself  out  of  the  dog-leashes  that  he  found  about  the 
house,  and  it  is  said  that  he  also  made  use  of  an  iron 
chain.  His  servants  often  saw  him  kneeling  in  his  room 
scourging  his  innocent  body  until  the  blood  flowed  to 
the  ground. 

The  marquis  on  learning  these  things  severely  re- 
proached Aloysius,  and  speaking  to  the  marchioness 
declared  that  "the  child  seemed  to  wish  to  kill  himself." 

Frequently,  as  he  retired  to  rest,  he  would  wear  near 
his  body  a  piece  of  rough  hair-cloth,  and  put  a  block  of 


60  Life  of  S/.  A/oystus. 

wood  in  his  bed  to  mortify  himself  even  as  to  sleep.  So 
great  was  his  hatred  of  his  body  that  he  made  a  cincture 
of  the  rowels  of  spurs,  whose  sharp  points  penetrated 
into  his  delicate  flesh,  causing  most  keen  suffering. 

How  great  must  have  been  his  zeal  to  advance,  when 
thus,  at  the  age  of  about  thirteen  years,  he  found  means, 
in  the  midst  of  the  pleasures  of  Court,  to  treat  his  body 
with  such  rigor. 

He  found  in  prayer  and  meditation  a  new  source  of 
mortification.  Each  morning,  on  rising,  he  passed  an 
hour  in  prayer,  and  at  night,  before  retiring  to  rest,  he 
spent  one  or  two  hours  on  his  knees  in  holy  converse 
with  his  God. 

His  father  was  often  grieved  because  he  could  not 
induce  him  to  leave  his  room,  and  he  often  declared 
to  Fr.  Malavolta  that  he  had  frequently  found  the  floor 
wet  with  tears  at  the  place  where  Aloysius  had  been 
kneeling. 

Still,  Aloysius  during  the  day  did  not  find  enough 
time  to  satisfy  his  desire  for  prayer,  and  often  during 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  61 

the  night  would  he  rise,  and  in  the  gloom  and  darkness 
spend  hours  in  long  and  profound  contemplation.  He 
prayed  thus  on  his  knees  and  without  support  of  any 
kind.  This  practice  he  kept  up  not  only  during  the 
summer,  but  during  the  cold  winter  nights,  so  that 
at  times  his  body  was  penetrated  by  the  cold,  and 
shivering  and  weak  he  would  fall  prostrate  to  the  ground 
and  there  continue  to  pray.  He  himself  declared  after- 
wards, in  Religion,  that  he  was  frequently  so  over- 
come by  cold  and  weakness  that  he  was  unable  to  move 
a  limb. 

His  efforts  to  overcome  all  distractions  in  prayer 
were  such  as  to  bring  on  a  violent  headache  that  re- 
mained with  him  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  Far  from 
complaining  or  seeking  any  remedy,  he  rejoiced  to  have 
a  continual  reminder  of  the  passion  of  his  Saviour,  as 
long  as  it  did  not  prevent  him  from  performing  his 
ordinary  exercises. 

He  would  frequently  pass  the  entire  day  in  the 
church  or  in  his  room,  without  saying  a  word  to 


62  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

anyone.  Indeed,  he  afterward  declared  that  he  spoke 
more  in  one  day  as  a  religious,  than  he  had  during  an 
entire  month  while  in  the  world,  and  added  that  were 
he  to  return  to  his  family  he  would  be  obliged  to 
change  his  mode  of  life  in  this  respect  lest  he  should 
scandalize  those  who  had  formerly  known  him  ;  and  yet 
there  was  no  more  faithful  observer  of  silence  in  religion 
than  Aloysius. 

Of  course  it  would  be  madness  for  everyone  to  en- 
deavor to  imitate  the  saint  in  this  respect.  It  was  only 
the  special  leading  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  brought 
him  by  such  unusual  ways.  But  this  chapter  of  his 
life  is  a  divine  lesson  "  writ  large,"  that  the  ideal  man, 
especially  the  ideal  young  man,  is  one  who  will  be 
pure  at  any  price. 

Among  the  mortifications  which  Aloysius  practiced 
in  the  world  should  be  enumerated  the  extreme  watch- 
fulness which  he  maintained  over  his  eyes  and  his 
tongue.  Never  was  he  known  to  criticise  others,  even 
in  the  most  trifling  matters ;  his  words  were  measured 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  63 

so  that  no  idle,  useless  language  ever  fell  from  his  lips. 
As  he  realized  that  the  eyes  are  the  windows  of  the 
soul  and  that  sin  may  there  enter  into  the  heart,  he  was 
most  careful  never  to  look  upon  anything  that  could 
cause  him  to  offend  God. 

In  literal  imitation  of  the  Prophet  who  said,  "I 
have  made  a  compact  with  my  eyes  that  they  should 
never  look  upon  the  face  of  a  woman,"  Aloysius, 
while  a  page  in  the  court  of  Spain,  never  looked  in 
the  face  of  the  Empress  Anne  of  Austria,  though  the 
duties  of  his  office  brought  him  into  her  presence  every 
day. 

He  loved  to  wear  old  garments,  patched  and  thread- . 
bare,  such  as  the  poorest  person  would  disdain  to  use. 
When,  by  the  marquis's  order  a  new  suit  was  made 
for  him,  he  delayed  putting  it  on  as  long  as  he 
could,  and  then  he  wore  it  only  a  few  times  to  put 
it  aside  for  his  old  one. 

Never  did  he  wear  the  golden  necklace  and  other 
ornaments  that  were  usually  worn  by  the  Spanish 


64  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

nobles.  These  he  called  worldly  vanities,  and  declared 
that  he  served  God  and  not  the  world. 

This  repugnance  which  he  showed  for  the  things  of 
the  world  caused  him  to  be  severely  reprimanded  by 
his  father,  who,  at  first,  could  not  tolerate  such  con- 
duct, imagining  that  it  brought  dishonor  on  his  house. 
Finally,  however,  overcome  by  his  son's  constancy,  he 
was  led  to  admire  in  him  what  he  had  not  the  strength 
to  approve. 

It  was  due  to  his  mortifications  that  he  obtained  from 
his  father  permission  to  enter  Religion.  After  having 
vainly  besought  the  marquis  to  allow  him  to  follow  his 
vocation,  he  retired  to  his  room  and  kneeling  down, 
wept  bitter  tears,  and  begged  of  God  the  strength  to 
bear  with  this  trial  and  to  change  his  father's  heart. 
Knowing  the  efficacy  of  suffering  in  prayer,  he  took  his 
discipline  and  beat  himself  unmercifully,  so  that  the 
blood  flowed  to  the  ground.  The  marquis,  feeling 
that  he  had  spoken  harshly  to  his  son  in  the  interview 
he  had  just  had  with  him,  sent  the  governor  of  the  castle 


His  Purity  and  Peiiance.  65 

to  him.  The  governor  came  to  the  room  of  the  saint 
and  looking  through  an  opening,  beheld  Aloysius  as  we 
have  described  him.  Touched  with  pity  at  the  sight, 
he  returned  to  the  marquis  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and 
said:  "  If  your  Excellency  could  see  what  your  son  is 
doing,  you  would  not  hesitate  longer  to  allow  him  to 
enter  Religion." 

Ferdinand  asked  him  what  he  had  seen  and  why 
he  wept.  "  My  Lord,"  said  the  Governor,  "  I  have 
seen  your  son  in  such  a  condition  that  no  one  who 
looked  upon  him  could  restrain  his  tears." 

The  next  day  at  the  same  hour,  the  Marquis,  at 
that  time  confined  to  his  room  by  the  gout,  had  him- 
self carried  to  the  room-door  of  Aloysius,  and  there 
beheld  him  preparing  to  scourge  himself  again.  At 
this  sight  he  was  filled  with  consternation,  and  for 
some  moments  was  unable  to  utter  a  word,  then  he 
ordered  his  attendant  to  make  some  noise  at  the  door 
and  to  knock.  He  entered  with  the  marchioness,  and 
beheld  the  floor  stained  with  blood.  This  overcame 


66  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

him  and  he  granted  the  permission  so  long  desired  and 
so  earnestly  prayed  for. 

It  was  a  year,  however,  before  his  father  could  be 
prevailed  upon  to  fulfill  his  promise  of  allowing  him 
to  leave  the  world,  and  during  those  last  months  Aloy- 
sius  so  multiplied  his  austerities  that  he  could  scarcely 
stand  on  his  feet.  It  is  certain  that  he  overstepped  all 
bounds  of  prudence  in  the  excess  of  his  fervor. 

His  mother  made  use  of  this  as  a  reason  for  urging 
her  husband  to  allow  him  to  carry  out  his  design,  de- 
claring that  if  he  continued  to  withhold  his  permission 
they  would  undoubtedly  lose  their  child,  whose  life 
could  not  long  sustain  such  constant  and  severe  hard- 
ship. She  added  that  were  he  in  Religion  the  vigilance 
of  his  superiors  would  moderate  his  ardor  by  thorough 
obedience.  This,  indeed  happened,  and  Aloysius  him- 
self admitted  that  the  charity  of  his  superiors  in  putting 
a  restraint  on  his  indiscreet  fervor  had  proved  no  less 
salutary  to  his  bodily  health  than  profitable  to  his  soul. 

Finally,  on  the  25th  of  November,   1585,   Aloysius 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  67 

came  to  Rome,  and  at  the  feet  of  Father  Claudius 
Aquaviva  made  a  complete  offering  of  himself  to  God. 
He  had  often  heard  his  father  say  that  he  that  begins  a 
work  or  undertakes  a  duty,  should  apply  himself  with 
his  whole  soul  to  perform  it  well.  "If  we  may  hold 
this  principle  in  things  of  the  world,"  said  Aloysius, 
"  how  much  more  reason  for  holding  it  in  things  that 
regard  God  !  " 

All  his  conduct  shows  how  faithful  he  was  to  this 
principle,  for  his  every  effort  was  directed  to  constant 
mortification  and  continual  progress  in  virtue.  He  held 
his  thoughts  in  check,  because  he  had  become  master 
over  his  senses.  These  he  watched  over  with  scrupulous 
vigilance,  and  lost  no  occasion  of  mortifying  them. 
Never  was  he  seen  indulging  in  the  perfume  of  a  flower, 
or  other  agreeable  odor.  When  he  visited  the  sick 
in  the  hospitals,  he  betook  himself  to  those  whose 
maladies  were  most  repugnant  to  his  nature ;  and  he 
performed  the  most  loathsome  office  without  a  sign  of 
aversion. 


68  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

Disciplines,  hair-cloth,  fasting  on  bread  and  water 
were  all  used  by  him  to  afflict  his  body,  and  so  great  was 
his  thirst  for  penance  that  it  could  never  be  satisfied. 
His  delicate  health  forbade  his  superiors  acceding  in 
this  matter  to  his  desires.  This  unwillingness  in  his 
superiors  was  the  only  thing  that  awoke  in  him  an 
impulse  to  complain. 

He  confessed  to  a  Father  one  day  that  in  religion  he 
performed  no  penance  at  all  compared  with  what  he 
had  done  in  the  world ;  but  he  found  consolation  in  the 
thought  that  "  religion  is  like  a  boat,  in  which  those 
who,  through  obedience,  do  nothing  advance  as  rapidly 
as  those  who  exhaust  their  strength  at  the  oars." 

One  day,  he  had  obtained  from  the  Master  of  novices 
permission  to  fast  on  bread  and  water,  but  the  Father, 
perceiving  that  he  had  taken  scarcely  anything  at  the 
table,  ordered  him  to  go  to  the  second  table  and  eat 
what  was  put  before  him.  He  obeyed  at  once,  and 
when  one  of  his  companions  afterwards  jokingly  spoke 
to  him  of  this  strange  way  of  fasting.  "  What  can  I 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  69 

do,"  said  Aloysius,  smiling.  "  I  am  become  as  a  beast 
of  burden  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord." 

Not  less  exact  was  he  in  mortifying  his  hearing.  If 
anyone  began  to  recount  the  news  of  the  day  or  speak 
of  idle  things,  he  would  endeavor  to  change  the  con- 
versation. 

His  guard  over  his  eyes  had  been  severe  in  the 
world.  In  religion  he  even  surpassed  his  former  vigi- 
lance. His  faculties  were  so  preoccupied  with  the 
contemplation  of  God  and  His  divine  mysteries  that 
the  things  of  the  earth  seemed  to  have  lost  all  attrac- 
tion for  him.  So  completely  had  he  overcome  himself 
that  he  was  never  led  by  a  sudden  movement  of  curiosity 
to  lift  his  eyes  and  gaze  about  him.  Sense  of  taste  he 
seemed  to  have  lost  altogether,  and  appeared  never  to 
notice  what  kind  of  food  was  placed  before  him,  except 
that  he  preferred  what  was  least  pleasant.  While 
eating,  his  mind  was  occupied  by  the  reading  that  was 
going  on  at  the  meal,  or  else  he  reflected  on  some  pious 
thought,  on  the  last  bitter  drink  of  our.  Lord  on  the 


70  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

cross,  or  on  the  wonders  that  took  place  at  the  Last 
Supper  of  Our  Saviour  with  his  disciples. 

Greater  still  was  his  watchfulness  over  his  words. 
Were  one  to  lose  sight  of  the  great  dangers  and  the 
serious  evils  to  a  spiritual  life  that  may  arise  from 
the  unguarded  use  of  the  tongue,  one  might  be  led  to 
consider  the  care  of  Aloysius  in  his  words  as  excessive. 
But  he  realized  the  words  of  Scripture:  "  He  that  sins 
not  in  word,  the  same  is  a  perfect  man."  "If  any- 
one think  himself  religious,  not  bridjing  his  tongue, 
his  piety  is  vain."  And  he  often  prayed  in  the  words 
of  the  Royal  Prophet :  "  Place  a  guard,  O,  Lord,  over 
my  tongue." 

The  whole  motive  for  the  love  of  silence  manifested 
by  Aloysius  lay  in  the  fear  he  had  of  committing  some 
imperfection  in  speaking,  and  again  in  the  fact  that  the 
spiritual  delights  with  which  God  inundated  his  soul, 
took  from  him  all  desire  to  hold  converse  with  men. 
When  he  had  to  speak,  he  weighed,  as  it  were,  each 
word  that  he  uttered,  and  during  recreation  he  would 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  fl 

frequently  check  himself  in  his  conversation,  esteeming 
it  better  to  remain  silent,  or,  did  he  believe  it  opportune 
to  continue,  he  subdued  himself  by  a  few  moments  of 
silence. 

Although,  as  we  have  seen,  he  highly  esteemed  every 
kind  of  corporal  mortification,  still  he  set  greater  store 
on  humiliations,  judging  them  to  be  more  necessary  and 
more  conducive  to  progress  in  spiritual  life.  So  persist- 
ent was  his  practice  of  every  species  of  humiliation, 
that  he  seemed  no  longer  to  feel  them.  He  frequently 
sought  permission  to  go  through  the  streets  of  Rome 
dressed  in  old  patched  clothes,  with  a  bag  on  his  back 
to  beg  from  the  passers-by.  When  someone  inquired 
of  him  if  he  felt  any  shame  or  repugnance  in  this  prac- 
tice, he  answered  :  "  None  whatever ;  for  I  set  out  to 
imitate  Jesus  Christ,  and  think  of  the  Eternal  merit  I 
can  gain." 

During  the  first  month  of  the  saint's  sojourn  in  relig- 
ion, he  showed  himself  so  modest  and  recollected,  so 
rigorous  in  overcoming  his  senses,  so  desirous  of  humil- 


72  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

iation,  such  a  perfect  observer  of  his  rules,  so  humble 
and  amiable  towards  his  brethren,  so  fervent  in  spiritual 
things,  so  inflamed  with  charity,  in  a  word  so  perfect  in 
every  virtue,  that  his  fellow  novices  looked  upon  him  as 
a  saint  and  esteemed  as  precious  relics  whatever  had 
served  him  for  his  use. 

So  continual  and  so  severe  had  been  his  mortification 
since  his  early  childhood,  that  he  seemed  to  have  a  sort 
of  impassibility  that  rendered  him  insensible  to  all 
things  human.  Never  was  there  noticed  in  him  the 
least  sign  of  anger  or  impatience,  or  the  slightest  move- 
ment of  passion. 

This  is  the  more  surprising  since  he  was  naturally  of  a 
sanguine  temperament,  quick  and  choleric  beyond  boys 
of  his  age.  He  had  arrived  at  that  perfect  calm  that 
reigned  in  his  soul  as  the  result  of  his  generous  and 
constant  practice  of  self-abasement  and  mortification. 

He  was  often  heard  to  say  that  he  that  is  not  a  man 
of  prayer  and  mortification  will  never  attain  to  per- 
fection. 


His  Purity  and  Penance.  73 

After  he  left  the  novitiate  to  begin  the  studies 
of  the  Society  he  continued  his  life  of  mortification  and 
gave  everywhere  the  most  perfect  example  of  the  spirit 
of  sacrifice.  He  was  ingenious  in  finding  means  to 
humiliate  himself  before  others. 

At  one  time  his  occupation  consisted  in  brushing  the 
cobwebs  from  the  walls  of  the  house.  This  he  did  with 
the  greatest  care,  and  no  human  respect  ever  prevented 
him  from  performing  this  lowly  office.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  seemed  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  humiliation, 
so  that  when  some  great  personage  with  his  suite  was 
occupied  in  going  through  the  college,  Aloysius  would 
appear  in  soiled  cassock  with  his  broom  in  his  hand  and 
proceed  to  dust  the  walls  in  the  presence  of  the  noble 
company.  His  greatest  ambition  was  to  be  despised 
and  to  be  accounted  a  menial  of  the  house.  This  con- 
duct of  his  was  so  habitual  that  whenever  the  Fathers 
of  the  House  beheld  Aloysius  passing  by,  equipped 
with  broom  and  dust-pan,  they  concluded  that  there 
was  some  illustrious  stranger  in  the  neighborhood. 


74 


Life  of  S/.  Aloysius. 


He  never  missed  an  occasion  of  going  to  his  superior 
and  asking  permission  to  perform  a  penance  in  the 
Refectory  or  to  take  an  extra  discipline.  He  would 
frequently  ask,  though  he  knew  he  would  be  refused 
on  account  of  the  weakness  of  his  health. 


CHAPTER  III. 
HIS  YOUTH,   STUDIES,  VOCATION. 

/""\F  all  the  periods  in  the  life  of  man  the  most  im- 
^^  portant,  the  one  on  which  depend  the  highest 
interests,  is  the  time  of  youth.  The  child,  it  is  true, 
forms  many  habits  which  give  shape  to  his  future,  but 
he  can  scarcely  be  said  to  realize  the  meaning  and  the 
purpose  of  his  existence.  He  lives  in  the  atmosphere 
of  innocence  and  even  after  reason  has  sway,  he  beholds 
in  life  a  certain  amount  of  fable  and  fiction.  He  is 
mystified ;  he  wonders ;  but  he  does  not  totally  com- 
prehend the  value  of  life. 

In  those  few  years  however,  between  our  childhood 
and  the  time  when  we  enter  upon  our  determined 
work,  we  begin  to  know  what  life  means ;  to  understand 


76  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

what  is  expected  of  us.  It  is  at  this  time,  while  still 
under  the  care  of  our  parents,  we  learn  that  we  must 
choose  our  own  path.  The  days  of  youth  then  are 
the  brightest  and  the  most  important  in  our  existence. 

To  that  part  of  our  saint's  life  we  have  now  come 
which  claims  especially  the  attention  and  consideration 
of  young  men,  although  all,  old  as  well  as  young,  can 
find  here  many  a  noble  lesson.  Even  at  this  early  day 
St.  Aloysius,  young  in  years,  was  old  in  judgment  and 
virtue. 

In  another  chapter  of  his  life,  his  deeds  of  penance 
and  mortification  during  this  period  were  dwelt  upon  at 
a  just  length,  but  here  we  glance  at  two  phases  which 
must  enter  into  the  life  of  every  young  man,  namely 
his  studies  and  his  choice  of  a  vocation. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  he  received  his  first 
knowledge  from  the  lips  of  his  fond  mother.  From  her 
he  first  learned  to  lisp  with  affection  the  name  of  Jesus, 
and  to  love  the  name  of  Mary.  By  her  he  was  led  on- 
ward to  the  light  of  God's  grace. 


His   Youth,  Studies,   Vocation.  77 

And  truly  it  must  afterwards  have  been  a  great 
joy  to  that  mother,  when  she  beheld  the  sanctity  of  her 
son,  to  know  that  she  was  the  first,  in  the  hand's  of 
God,  to  have  instilled  into  his  soul  sentiments  of  love 
of  God,  and  to  have  impressed  upon  his  mind  thoughts 
of  purity.  And,  as  she  was  the  first  to  teach  him  the 
truths  of  religion  and  to  place  before  him  principles  of 
piety,  so,  too,  was  she  the  first  to  instruct  him  in  the 
rudiments  of  education.  He  received  then  the  funda- 
mental frame-work  for  his  studies  at  his  home  in  Cas- 
tiglione. 

In  the  year  1577,  however,  the  marquis,  in  order  to 
give  his  children  all  the  benefits  of  a  good  education, 
determined  to  send  his  two  sons  to  Florence.  At  that 
day,  Florence  was  the  great  centre  of  education  in 
northern  Italy.  There  art  and  literature  flourished.  The 
standard  of  classical  studies  had  been  elevated,  and  the 
university  of  that  city  had  become  one  of  the  most 
renowned  of  Christian  times. 

Of  course,  our  saint,  as  he  was  only  nine  years  ojf  age 


78  .  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

did  not  enter  upon  any  very  advanced  study  of  the 
classics  or  of  art ;  the  main  object  of  his  stay  at 
Florence  was  to  learn  the  Latin  language  and  to  perfect 
himself  in  his  native  tongue. 

Nevertheless,  even  in  this  short  period  of  the  life 
of  St.  Aloysius,  one  can  learn  a  lesson  on  beholding 
his  zeal  and  application  to  whatever  duty  was  assigned 
him. 

To-day,  as  in  fact  at  all  times,  the  student  has  many 
tasks  imposed  that  are  naturally  disagreeable.  And 
generally  too,  the  student  grumbles  at  these  tasks ;  he 
does  not  want  unpleasant  work.  Why  should  he  inter- 
pret classical  authors  or  write  Greek  or  Latin  exercises  ? 
Why  should  he  spend  hours  in  working  upon  his  essays  ? 
Why  pore  over  the  beauties  of  literature,  or  drone  over 
the  difficulties  of  grammar? 

Such  are  his  thoughts,  and  his  work  at  times  may  be 
brought  to  a  conclusion  in  neglect  and  haste.  What  a 
model  of  student  life  and  work  was  St.  Aloysius.  He 
too  was  compelled  to  study,  and  to  do  work,  no  doubt, 


His    Youth,  Studies,    Vocation.  79 

distasteful.  Under  the  guidance  of  his  tutor  he  became 
proficient  in  his  studies. 

He  had  to  work  out  a  passage  in  Latin  as  well  as  any 
other  who  has  studied  the  ancient  writers.  No  kind 
hand  placed  the  meaning  of  the  words  between  the 
lines,  because  he  happened  to  be  a  saint ;  no  invisible 
helper  arranged  the  words  that  they  might  be  more 
easily  understood.  No  Divine  inspiration  gave  him 
the  correct  thought  of  a  passage  in  Cicero  or  of  a 
verse  in  Sophocles ;  but  this  he  was  obliged  to  do  for 
himself. 

So  far  he  was  the  counterpart  of  any  other  stu- 
dent. But  now  comes  the  lesson.  Did  he  grumble  be- 
cause his  work  was  unpleasant  ?  No,  but  he  received 
the  task  with  joy.  Did  he  object  because  he  was  com- 
manded ?  No,  but  he  welcomed  every  obligation.  We 
are  not  told  that  he  took  a  special  delight  in  study ;  we 
are  not  told  that  he  was  far  more  capable  of  this  work 
than  most  young  men.  But  if  a  lesson  were  disagreeable, 
with  the  spirit  of  a  follower  of  our  Lord,  he  made  of  that 


So  Life  of  St.  A  lay sitis. 

unpleasant  work  a  means  of  merit.  He  performed  it 
with  diligence;  every  particular  was  carefully  attended 
to  ;  for  he  understood  that  every  deed  done  in  obedience 
was  done  for  God's  honor. 

So  in  this  young  student  at  Florence  we  have  an 
example  of  zeal,  patience,  attention  and  even  of  that 
which  is  higher  than  all  these,  an  example  of  love 
for  God. 

The  effect  of  this  saint's  example  is  still  more 
heightened  when  we  consider  his  surroundings.  He  was 
of  one  of  the  noblest  families  in  Italy,  looked  upon  as 
the  coming  heir  to  all  his  father's  possessions  and  titles, 
courted  and  respected  by  all  the  nobility  of  Florence ; 
and  yet  how  does  he  value  these  honors?  He  looks 
upon  them  as  worthy  of  contempt. 

Far  from  desiring  or  welcoming  them,  he  rather  shuns 
them.  He  does  nojt  seek  the  presence  of  his  equals  in 
rank,  but  remains  at  home  engaged  in  study  and  devo- 
tion. The  only  time  we  hear  of  him  in  the  society  of 
the  nobility,  during  his  days  at  Florence,  is  when  he 


His   Youth,  Studies,    Vocation.  81 

and  his  brother,  in  accordance  with  their  father's  wish, 
visit  the  Grand  Duke  to  pay  that  noble  the  customary 
attention  due  his  rank. 

In  November,  15/9,  when  St.  Aloysius  was  eleven 
years  of  age,  the  marquis  removed  his  two  sons  to  Man- 
tua where  they  lived  at  the  Castle  of  St.  Sebastian.  His 
studies  here  were  continued  under  the  direction  of 
Father  Bresciani  and  always  with  the  same  zeal  and 
good  will  on  the  part  of  Aloysius. 

At  various  times  he  was  compelled  to  take  part  in 
the  celebrations  at  court,  as  the  Duke  of  Mantua  was 
a  cousin  of  the  Marquis  of  Castiglione;  and  Aloysius 
knew  that  any  disrespect  shown  to  the  duke,  who  was 
the  head  of  the  house  of  Gonzaga,  would  be  displeasing 
to  his  father. 

However,  the  ceremonials,  the  grandeur,  the  empty 
frivolities  of  court-life  were  anything  but  agreeable  to 
the  serious  and  devout  mind  of  our  saint.  It  was 
while  here  that  Aloysius  was  first  afflicted  with  sickness, 
yet  every  suffering  was  received  with  joy  and  patience. 


82  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

But  we  must  give  our  attention  to  other  matters 
which  have  a  weightier  claim  on  our  consideration. 

After  the  winter  had  passed,  the  marquis  and  his  fam- 
ily returned  to  Castiglione.  We  have  already  seen  how 
he  met  here  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  from  whose  hands 
he  had  the  great  joy  of  receiving  his  first  communion. 

Here,  as  at  Mantua,  he  continued  his  studies,  but 
what  claimed  his  attention  most  were  books  of  relig- 
ion, the  life  of  Christ,  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  of 
the  Saints. 

Even  for  his  study  of  the  classics,  he  did  not  select 
books  that  touched  upon  light  or  trivial  matters,  but 
rather  chose  those  which,  even  though  written  by 
Pagans,  would  still  be  useful  to  his  soul.  He  studied 
such  works  as  those  of  Seneca,  Plutarch  and  Valerius 
Maximus  which  treat  of  morals,  and,  we  are  told,  that 
he  often  made  use  of  these  works  in  his  conversation. 

It  was  in  the  year  1581,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the 
marquis  and  his  wife  with  their  children,  Aloysius, 
Ralph  and  Isabella,  set  out  for  Spain  on  the  invitation 


His    Youth,  Studies,    Vocation.  83 

of  Philip  II.,  to  be  present  at  festivities  to  be  held  at 
his  court. 

This  was  to  be  an  eventful  epoch  in  the  life  of 
Aloysius,  for  it  was  during  this  visit  that  he  deter- 
mined upon  his  vocation  and  upon  the  particular  way 
in  which  this  vocation  was  to  be  followed.  Arriving  at 
Spain,  Aloysius  and  his  brother  were  made  pages  of 
honor  to  the  young  prince.  Study  took  up  a  great  part 
of  the  saint's  time,  for  he  knew  there  was  no  royal  way 
to  learning. 

He  had  finished  the  study  of  the  classics  and 
literature  in  Italy,  and  now,  going  a  step  higher,  he  de- 
voted his  time  to  logic,  astronomy,  philosophy  and 
natural  theology.  In  the  first  he  was  taught  by  an 
ecclesiastic  of  high  rank,  while  the  king's  mathema- 
tician, Dimas,  by  name,  taught  him  the  motions  of  the 
stars  and  planets. 

In  philosophy  and  theology  he  became  so  profi- 
cient that  two  years  later,  while  visiting  at  Alcala, 
he  took  up  the  argument  in  a  theological  thesis,  at 


84  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

the  school  there,  and  displayed  so  much  knowledge 
for  one  so  young,  that  all  who  heard  him  marveled. 
We  have  a  proof  of  his  proficiency  in  the  Latin 
tongue  when,  in  1582,  he  was  selected,  though  against 
his  own  will,  to  deliver  a  Latin  address  before  King 
Philip. 

The  time  was  now  at  hand  for  St.  Aloysius  to  take 
action  in  obtaining  the  one  aspiration  of  his  life,  to  be- 
come a  religious.  As  we  have  seen,  the  marquis  wished 
Aloysius  to  enter  upon  a  military  career.  He  thought 
that  court  life  would  soon  drive  away  from  the  mind  of 
his  son  all  thoughts  of  a  religious  life.  But  this  result 
did  not  follow,  Aloysius  was  confident  that  his  call 
came  from  God  and  he  determined  to  act  consistently 
with  that  vocation. 

The  first  attractions  our  saint  saw  in  a  religious  life 
were  when,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  he  paid  a  visit  to  the 
Barnabite  Fathers  of  St.  Paul  Beheaded,  near  Cas- 
tiglione.  He  beheld  in  these  devout  priests  true 
examples  of  happiness  ;  he  saw  the  tranquillity  of  an 


His  Youth,  Studies,   IZocation.  85 

untroubled  conscience ;  he  saw  the  quiet  and  calm  of 
the  life  of  a  religious  as  compared  with  the  noisy  and 
ever-varying  life  of  a  man  in  the  world. 

And  all  these  made  on  his  young  mind  an  impres- 
sion which  was  never  effaced.  Gradually  the  wish 
grew  upon  him  to  become  a  religious.  The  things  of 
the  world  and  of  life  which  before  he  had  disliked,  he 
now  began  to  hate.  Soon  his  aspiration  changed  into  a 
firm  resolve  to  enter  upon  this  life  in  which  he  could 
devote  himself  wholly  to  the  honor  of  God. 

And  so  we  see  him  with  this  purpose  in  mind,  even 
before  he  set  out  for  Spain.  The  sights  at  court,  in- 
stead of  weakening  this  purpose,  as  the  marquis  had 
hoped,  only  urged  him  to  immediate  action. 

It  was  this  aspiration  in  his  heart  that  impelled 
him  to  go  frequently  to  the  sacraments,  to  practice 
piety  and  perform  works  of  penance,  to  flee  from 
the  attractions  of  court,  to  be  simple  in  his  attire  even 
to  a  degree  far  below  his  station.  His  coming  among 
a  number  of  nobles  caused  all  light  talk  to  cease,  and 


86  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

immediately  the  conversation  took  a  serious  and  gener- 
ally a  religious  turn. 

He  despised  himself,  he  thought  not  of  the  earth,  but 
only  of  heavenly  things,  so  that  it  seemed  as  if  a 
heavenly  spirit  had  entered  into  him  and  dwelt  in  a 
bodily  frame. 

Aloysius  at  first  thought  he  should  join  the  order  of 
Franciscans  in  Spain,  because  of  his  love  for  mortifica- 
tion ;  but  for  two  reasons  he  relinquished  this  idea. 

The  first  was  that  if,  on  account  of  his  weak  condition, 
he  were  not  able  to  undergo  the  mortifications,  he 
ivould  be  brought  back  into  the  world  as  an  ecclesias- 
tic, and  the  second  reason  was  that  his  mother  was 
strongly  opposed  to  this  choice. 

His  nature  was  not  inclined  to  those  orders  that 
devote  themselves  entirely  to  active  life  and  to  the  as- 
sistance of  those  in  suffering,  but  it  was  inclined  rather 
to  a  life  of  contemplation.  He  pictured  almost  a 
heaven  in  the  lives  of  those  men  who  could  give  them- 
selves up  to  meditation  of  divine  things,  who  could 


His  Youtk,  Studies,   Vocation.  87 

pierce  the  mists  and  clouds  of  life,  and  with  the  eyes 
of  the  soul  look  upon  the  glories  of  eternity.  This 
would  have  been  a  paradise  for  Aloysius. 

But  even  here,  when  his  whole  future  depended 
upon  his  choice,  our  saint  gave  up  his  own  desires,  and 
remembering  that  St.  Thomas  had  said  that  those 
orders  gave  the  most  glory  to  God,  which  did  not  de- 
vote their  whole  time  to  contemplation,  but  which  gave 
part  of  their  time  to  teaching  and  preaching  in  the 
work  of  salvation,  he  determined  to  enter  one  of  these. 

At  last  he  chose  the  Society  of  Jesus,  then  established 
about  one  hundred  years.  There  were  four  principal 
reasons  that  caused  this  choice.  First,  because  this 
was  a  newly  instituted  order,  and  all  religious  duties  in 
it  were  carefully  observed.  Second,  that  in  this  society 
a  vow  was  taken  never  to  accept  any  ecclesiastical  dig- 
nity. Third,  because  the  Society  of  Jesus  devotes  so 
much  time  and  labor  to  the  education  of  youth. 
Fourth,  because  one  of  the  Society's  principal  objects 
is  the  conversion  of  pagans  in  foreign  lands. 


88  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

These  reasons  had  great  attractions  for  Aloysius, 
for  his  humility  would  not  allow  him  to  accept  any 
dignity,  and  he  looked  upon  the  education  of  youth 
and  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  as  two  works  most 
pleasing  to  God. 

He  wished  to  be  assured  of  his  choice.  He 
confided  in  his  mother,  who  approved  of  his  pur- 
pose, and  he  prayed  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  to  give 
him  means  of  knowing  whether  his  choice  was  pleas- 
ing to  God. 

For  this  purpose  he  prepared  to  receive  communion 
on  the  Feast  of  the  Assumption.  While  praying  to  our 
Blessed  Mother,  he  received  an  answer  clear  and  denned 
in  his  inmost  soul,  by  which  he  was  convinced  that  he 
was  divinely  called  to  enter  the  Society  of  Jesus. 

Immediately,  as  commanded  by  the  voice  within  him, 
he  made  known  his  intentions  to  his  confessor,  Father 
Paterno,  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  This  worthy  priest, 
after  due  deliberation,  saw  that  the  vocation  of  the 
youth  was  clear,  but  told  Aloysius  that  he  could 


His  Youth,  Studies,   Vocation.  89 

not  be  received  by  the  Order  without  the  consent  of 
his  parents. 

This  our  saint  immediately,  endeavored  to  obtain. 
He  told  all  to  his  mother.  Can  we  imagine  the  tearful 
joy  of  that  mother  as  she  heard  these  words  of  gladness? 
Her  hopes,  which  she  had  entertained  even  from  the 
birth  of  Aloysius,  were  about  to  be  realized.  For  this 
purpose  she  had  spent  many  a  happy  hour  in  Casti- 
glione,  teaching  her  saintly  son ;  for  this  one  purpose 
she  had  always  guarded,  watched  over  and  cared  for 
him.  Now  she  saw  that  her  son  was  about  to  give  his 
life  to  the  service  of  God,  and  the  one  hope  of  her  life 
was  to  be  realized  ;  her  one  wish  was  to  be  granted. 

His  father,  on  the  contrary,  was  enraged.  The  mar- 
quis did  not  wish  to  offend  God,  but  as  he  himself  had 
spent  all  his  life  as  a  soldier  in  the  cause  of  his  country, 
or  at  the  courts  of  nobles,  so  he  wished  Aloysius, 
his  eldest  born,  to  follow  him  as  his  heir,  to  keep  his 
name  in  glory  on  the  battle-field,  and  to  perpetuate 
the  dignity  of  the  Gonzagas  at  court.  This  was  the 


90  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

marquis'  fondest  wish,  and  it  was  dashed  to  the  ground 
by  the  few  words  in  which  his  son  announced  his 
intentions. 

He  bade  Aloysius  leave  him,  and  threatened  even  to 
have  him  stripped  and  beaten.  He  tried  in  every  way 
to  fancy  that  the  zeal  of  his  son  would  disappear,  but 
in  vain.  Finally,  as  he  was  a  good  Christian,  he  was 
compelled  to  cease  his  opposition  to  the  vocation  of 
his  son.  This  was  in  1583,  when  Aloysius  was  fifteen 
years  of  age. 

Father  Francis  Gonzaga,  a  cousin  of  the  marquis,  and 
General  of  the  Franciscans,  happened  to  come  to  Madrid 
at  this  time,  and  he,  too,  was  convinced  of  the  voca- 
tion of  Aloysius. 

One  day  our  saint  resolved  to  take  a  decided  step, 
and  so,  when  passing  the  house  of  the  Jesuits  with  his 
brother  and  servants,  he  left  them  and  determined  to 
remain  there.  They  tried  to  dissuade  him,  but  to  no 
purpose,  until  the  marquis  himself  sent  a  command  for 
him  to  return  at  once.  This  he  obeyed. 


His   Youth,  Studies,   Vocation.  91 

The  marquis  tried  to  induce  Father  Francis  to  per- 
suade Aloysius  to  give  up  his  desire  of  becoming  a  re- 
ligious, but  this  the  father  could  not  conscientiously  do. 
Finally  the  marquis  agreed  that  as  soon  as  they  re- 
turned to  Italy  he  would  allow  his  son  to  follow  his 
own  inclinations.  How  he  kept  his  promise,  we  shall 
see. 

Father  Gonzaga  accompanied  the  family  on  their 
journey  homeward,  and  from  conversation  with  him 
Aloysius  learned  much  of  the  life  and  duties  of  re- 
ligious. During  the  voyage  they  had  many  long  and 
grave  conversations,  which,  as  our  saint  afterwards  told 
Father  Cepari,  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  soul. 

Aloysius  looked  forward  to  his  arrival  in  Italy,  where 
he  thought  he  would  be  free,  but  alas !  his  hopes  were 
to  meet  with  disappointment,  for  the  marquis,  still 
cherishing  the  idea  of  dissuading  Aloysius  from  his  pur- 
pose, delayed  the  fulfillment  of  his  promise,  because  he 
wished  our  saint  and  his  brother  Ralph  to  visit  many  of 
the  nobles  of  Italy  to  announce  the  return  of  the 


92  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

marquis  to  Castiglione.  Aloysius  could  do  nothing  but 
submit,  and  so  he  underwent  again  the  disagreeable 
observances  of  court-life. 

After  this  round  of  visits  was  completed  and  the 
brothers  had  returned  to  Castiglione,  we  again  find 
the  marquis  striving  to  turn  Aloysius  from  his 
purpose.  He  had  gathered  many  persons  of  high 
dignity  to  bring  objections  before  his  son.  The  first 
who  came  was  a  bishop,  sent  by  Duke  William,  with 
a  message  to  the  effect  that  if  the  life  of  a  layman  were 
unpleasant,  let  him  embrace  the  ecclesiastical  state  but 
remain  in  the  world  so  as  to  be  raised  to  honor  and 
dignity ;  for  in  such  a  position  much  good  could  be 
done  as  might  be  seen  from  the  example  of  Charles 
Borromeo. 

The  second  objection  came  from  Aloysius'  uncle, 
who  had  interests  at  stake,  for  his  own  property 
was  to  fall  to  Aloysius,  and  in  order  to  retain  it  in  his 
family  he  wished  his  daughter  to  be  married  to  the 
heir  of  Castiglione. 


His   Youth,  Studies,    Vocation.  93 

But  his  objections  failed  like  those  of  the  duke's 
messenger.  These  were  followed  by  pleadings  of  influ- 
ential persons  in  the  family,  but  all  to  no  avail.  They 
failed,  and  one,  the  arch-priest  of  Castiglione,  was  gained 
over  to  favor  Aloysius. 

After  all  these  efforts  the  marquis  on  questioning 
Aloysius  found  that  his  purpose  was  unshaken.  At 
this  the  infuriated  father,  in  a  fit  of  passion,  ordered 
his  son  to  leave  him.  Our  saint  took  him  at  his  word 
and  retired  to  a  convent  which  the  marquis  had  estab- 
lished on  his  grounds.  Near  the  convent  there  was  a 
grotto,  and  thither  Aloysius  retired  with  his  books  and 
subjected  himself  to  strict  penance  and  mortification. 
For  some  time  he  was  left  alone. 

On  learning  the  whereabouts  of  the  saint,  the  father 
at  once  ordered  him  to  return  home.  Aloysius  obeyed, 
but  in  his  own  room  at  the  castle  he  redoubled 
his  former  penance.  He  would  scourge  himself  until 
blood  was  caused  to  flow.  A  servant  related  the  severe 
mortification  Aloysius  forced  himself  to  undergo,  and 


94  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

the  marquis,  who  was  then  sick,  commanded  his  ser- 
vants to  carry  him  to  his  son's  room. 

There  such  a  sight  of  suffering  and  pain  met  his 
eyes,  that  his  anger  was  turned  to  pity,  and  his  ob- 
stinacy to  willingness.  Such  was  the  effect  of  it  that 
not  long  after,  the  marquis  wrote  a  letter  to  Scipio 
Gonzaga,  patriarch  of  Jerusalem,  and  brother  of  Francis 
Gonzaga,  general  of  the  Franciscans,  permitting  him 
to  offer  to  the  general  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  his 
eldest  son,  the  dearest  possession  he  had  on  earth. 

At  last  the  saint  had  touched  his  father's  heart. 
Afterward,  indeed,  the  marquis  still  showed  some 
unwillingness,  but  at  present  all  went  smoothly  for 
Aloysius. 

In  the  letter  of  the  marquis  to  Scipio  Gonzaga,  he 
suggested  that  Novellara  be  chosen  as  the  place  for 
Aloysius  to  make  his  novitiate.  He  wished  this  because 
some  relation  of  his  family  lived  at  that  place.  Bu^ 
Aloysius,  desiring  to  be  as  far  as  possible  from  those  he 
knew  in  the  world,  wrote  to  the  Father-general,  stating 


His   Youth,  Studies,   Vocation.  95 

his  father's  dislike  to  his  joining  a  religious  order,  and 
asked  that  some  other  place  be  chosen. 

The  Father-general  wrote  to  the  marquis,  saying 
that  he  thought  Rome  would  be  the  best  place  for 
Aloysius  to  spend  his  novitiate.  From  a  letter  of 
Aloysius  at  this  time,  we  can  see  how  thankful  he 
was,  and  we  can  also  see  that  all  preparations  were 
made  for  him  to  relinquish  every  title  to  the  property 
of  his  father.  The  letter  runs  as  follows : 

"  I  thank  your  Reverence  for  this  great  benefit,  but  words  fail  me 
to  express,  as  I  wish,  the  extent  of  my  gratitude.  I  give  myself  up 
entirely  to  your  wishes,  while  awaiting  the  time  when  I  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  go  and  throw  myself  at  your  feet.  If  I  do  not  fly  instantly 
to  Rome,  it  is  because  my  father  requires  me  to  make  a  formal 
renunciation  of  ail  my  hereditary  rights  to  the  Marquisate  of  Casti- 
glione,  in  favor  of  my  brother.  Although  the  consent  of  the  Emperor 
is  needed  for  this  transfer,  since  the  fief  is  independent,  I  hope  soon 
to  terminate  this  affair." 

Everything  was  being  arranged  for  the  departure  of 
Aloysius.  About  this  time,  however,  another  delay 
ensued.  The  marquis  had  some  negotiations  to  be  car- 
ried on  at  Milan,  and  being  unable  himself  to  attend 
to  these,  he  sent  Aloysius  to  transact  the  necessary 


96  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

business.  He  had  been  commissioned  often  before  to 
transact  business,  and  in  this  case  also  he  conducted 
everything  with  prudence  and  ability. 

While  at  Milan,  Aloysius  remained  at  the  Jesuits' 
house,  and  followed  the  religious  exercises  there.  For  a 
number  of  days  he  waited,  expecting  every  moment  to 
be  called  home  to  complete  the  transfer  of  the  titles. 
He  heard  that  the  Emperor  had  given  his  consent,  and 
he  now  wondered  why  he  was  still  kept  at  Milan. 

One  day,  at  last,  the  marquis  himself  came  to  Milan, 
and  with  the  old  desire  still  in  his  heart 'strove  to  turn 
Aloysius  from  his  purpose.  This  time  he  entreats.  He 
begs  Aloysius  to  stay  in  the  world  ;  to  be  a  good  ruler 
over  his  people ;  to  honor  the  name  of  Gonzaga. 

Aloysius  heard  with  respect,  but  was  firm  in  his  re- 
fusal, for  he  felt  he  was  called  by  God.  The  marquis, 
however,  determined  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  Father 
Gagliardi,  a  well-known  priest  in  Milan.  Aloysius  was 
brought  before  both  his  father  and  the  priest  and 
there  examined. 


His   Youth,  Studies,    Vocation.  97 

Father  Gagliardi  at  last  decided  that  Aloysius  was 
right  in  wishing  to  enter  on  the  life  of  a  religious.  Upon 
this  decision  the  marquis  returned  to  Castiglione,  whither 
Aloysius  followed  in  a  few  days.  On  his  journey  from 
Milan  to  Castiglione  he  stopped  at  Mantua,  where 
there  was  a  celebration  in  honor  of  the  ambassadors  who 
had  just  returned.  The  city  was  one  scene  of  festivity, 
but  this  was  no  attraction  for  Aloysius,  and  he  remained 
at  the  house  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  following  their 
religious  exercises. 

Many  days  passed  after  his  return  before  the  matter 
of  his  vocation  was  mentioned,  but  at  last  he  himself 
suggested  that  the  time  had  come  for  him  to  complete 
all  the  arrangements. 

Then  the  marquis,  with  persistence  in  his  obstinacy, 
said  that  he  did  not  recollect  making  any  promise  to 
this  effect.  Aloysius  was  amazed.  He  had  pictured 
troubles  and  delays,  but  to  be  denied  in  this  manner 
was  the  worst  blow  he  could  receive.  His  father  said 
of  course  he  could  go,  but  if  he  did  he  would  be  no 


98  Life  of  St.  A  toy sius. 

longer  recognized  as  the  son  of  the  Marquis  of  Casti- 
glione. 

Aloysius  retired  to  his  room  in  tears.  At  length, 
striving  to  conciliate  his  father,  Aloysius  expressed  his 
willingness  to  put  off  his  entrance  into  religion  for 
two  or  three  years.  Two  conditions,  however,  were 
attached  to  this  agreement.  First,  that  he  should  be 
allowed  to  spend  the  interval  at  Rome,  and  secondly, 
that  the  marquis  should  at  once  send  his  consent  in 
writing  to  the  Father-general.  For  two  days  he  re- 
fused, but  finally  consented. 

At  last  the  one  wish  of  Aloysius  was  granted ;  the 
one  object  of  his  desires  was  attained.  After  a  little 
delay  all  preparations  were  completed  for  him  to  sign 
the  deed  of  renunciation  to  all  his  titles.  This  was 
done  at  Mantua,  in  the  presence  of  many  princes  of  the 
land.  There  he  renounced  riches  and  power,  and  em- 
braced poverty  and  humility. 

The  next  morning  he  set  out  for  Rome,  accompanied 
by  attendants.  On  this  journey  he  still  kept  up  his 


His   Youth,  Studies,   Vocation.  99 

usual  spiritual  exercises.  When  at  last  Rome  was 
reached,  what  joy  must  have  come  to  his  youthful 
heart ! 

What  a  lesson  of  perseverance  his  life  affords  !  This 
young  saint  had  overcome  the  objections  of  a  worldly 
father;  he  had  resisted  the  words  of  many  princes; 
he  had  fought  with  troubles  and  delays,  and  at  last 
he  came  out  the  conqueror.  Truly,  God  sent  these 
sufferings  to  try  our  Saint.  Aloysius  at  last  gained  his 
wish.  He  entered  the  house  of  the  Society  of  Jesus 
at  Rome,  and  there  we  leave  him  in  the  joy  and 
happiness  of  a  peaceful  home. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
HIS   NOVITIATE. 

• 

T  \  7E  have  followed  the  saint  in  -the  danger*  and 
temptations  which  beset  him  in  the  world,  and 
have  beheld  his  earnest  perseverance  and  victory  over 
the  powers  of  darkness.  From  early  childhood  he  had 
orayed  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  direct  him  in  his 
choice  of  a  state  of  life,  and,  following  that  light  which 
had  been  given  him,  had  determined  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  enter  upon  religious  life  in  the  Society  of  Jesus. 
The  object  of  this  society  is  the  greater  glory  of  God, 
Ad  Major  em  Dei  Gloriam,  and  the  sanctification  of  souls. 
The  questions  asked  of  the  postulant  for  admission 
acquaint  him  at  once  with  the  life  that  awaits  him — with 


IO2  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

its  aims,  its  duties  and  the  sacrifices  it  demands.  "Are 
you  ready,"  he  is  asked, "  to  renounce  the  world  and  all 
hope  of  temporal  goods  ?  Are  you  ready,  if  necessary, 
to  beg  your  bread  from  door  to  door  for  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ?  Are  you  ready  to  reside  in  any  country, 
and  to  embrace  any  employment  w-herein  your  supe- 
riors may  think  you  will  be  most  useful  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  good  of  souls?  Are  you  ready  to  obey 
in  all  things,  in  which  there  is  evidently  no  sin,  the 
superiors  who  hold  toward  you  the  place  of  God  ?  Are 
you  resolved  to  renounce  generously,  without  reserve, 
all  those  things  which  men  in  general  love  and  em- 
brace, and  will  you  accept  and  desire  with  all  your 
strength  what  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  loved  and  em- 
braced ?  Are  you  prepared  to  accept,  in  imitation  of 
him,  humiliations,  unmerited  contempt,  calumnies  and 
insults?" 

If  the  postulant  answer  these  questions  arid  some 
others,  of  a  like  nature,  in  the  affirmative,  he  is  received 
into  the  novitiate,  where  he  remains  two  years  in  deep 


His  Novitiate.  103 

seclusion  and  constant  prayer,  laying  aside  all  study 
with  the  exception  of  a  short  lesson  each  day  as  an 
exercise  of  the  memory. 

He  devotes  himself  solely  to  the  attainment  of  vir- 
tues, particularly  those  of  child-like  obedience,  humility, 
self-abnegation  and  perfect  poverty.  Part  of  his  time 
is  spent  in  attending  to  the  work  of  the  house,  teaching 
the  catechism  to  poor  children  and  visiting  the  sick  in 
hospitals. 

It  was  to  this  high  and  noble  life  that  Aloysius  re- 
solved to  dedicate  himself,  renouncing  the  world  with 
all  its  brilliant  prospects.  With  joyful  soul  he  longed 
to  submit  himself  to  rules  which  promised  to  exercise 
him  in  virtue  and  remove  him  far  from  the  blighting 
influence  of  error  and  sin.  The  master  of  novices, 
Father  John  Baptist  Pescatore,  himself  a  very  holy 
man,  soon  recognized  the  saintly  character  of  Aloysius. 
He  saw  that  there  was  confided  to  him  a  most  sacred 
charge  which  imposed  a  weighty  responsibility.  His 
experience  taught  him  that  it  was  necessary  to  treat 


IO4  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Aloysius  with  the  greatest  prudence  so  as  not  to  injure 
or  damage  the  precious  gifts  of  humility  and  obedience 
which  adorned  his  soul. 

While  in  the  world  Aloysius  had  acquired  the  habit 
of  doing  all  things  with  great  exactness  and  care.  In 
the  same  manner,  but  with  even  greater  diligence,  he 
now  performed  the  duties  which  were  laid  upon  him  by 
his  superiors,  and  displayed  at  all  times  wonderful 
obedience  and  humility.  While  walking,  Aloysius  had 
a  habit  of  bowing  his  head  and  casting  his  eyes  down. 
In  order  to  try  his  obedience,  to  foster  the  virtue  of 
humility,  and  to  cure  him  of  this  habit,  the  master  of 
novices  ordered  him  to  put  on  a  pasteboard  collar 
which  would  force  him  to  hold  his  head  erect.  With 
much  edification  did  the  holy  man  behold  the  youth 
wearing  this  instrument  of  humility  with  smiling  coun- 
tenance, and  performing  his  duties  in  a  joyful  spirit. 
Doubtless  Aloysius  held  before  himself  the  thorn- 
crowned  head  of  his  divine  Master,  and  therefore  was 
happy  in  his  soul  to  suffer  humiliation  for  His  sake. 


His  Novitiate.  105 

Let  us  not  suppose  that  St.  Aloysius  was  always  free 
from  temptation  and  that  he  always  experienced  fervor 
in  spiritual  exercises.  He  had,  it  is  true,  previous  to  this 
period,  experienced  a  holy  fervor  in  his  religious  prac- 
tices ;  but  now,  in  a  religious  community,  surrounded 
by  all  that  was  calculated  to  make  him  devout,  he 
was  oppressed  by  dryness  and  desolation.  But  though 
he  thus  suffered,  Aloysius  ceased  not  to  perform  his 
usual  devotions  with  all  possible  zeal  and  exactness, 
submitting  in  this,  as  in  all  things,  to  the  holy  will  of 
God.  Thus  did  God  try  our  saint;  thus,  in  His 
goodness,  did  He  bestow  on  him  the  means  of  obtain- 
ing greater  merit  by  performing  his  spiritual  exercises 
without  the  consolation  usually  attendant  upon  them. 

This  trial,  however,  did  not  last  long,  for  after  a 
short  time  Aloysius  experienced  his  former  fervor  and 
heavenly  consolation.  The  devil  now  assailed  him, 
tempting  him  with  the  questions :  "  What  use  can  the 
Society  of  Jesus  make  of  you  ?  "  "  What  have  you  come 
here  to  do?"  With  great  violence  did  the  powers  of 


io6  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

darkness  thus  attack  him.  Aloysius,  however,  soon 
discovered  the  import  and  the  source  of  these  questions 
and  quickly  banished  them. 

He  had  been  two  months  and  a  half  in  the  Society 
of  Jesus,  when  he  received  news  of  the  death  of  his 
father.  The  feelings  of  natural  love,  responding  to 
the  Divine  Will,  had  been  supernaturalized ;  therefore, 
when  he  learned  the  sad  news,  he  received  it  with 
perfect  resignation.  Great  was  the  edification  of  the 
Fathers,  to  behold  in  one  so  young  such  conformity 
to  the  will  of  God.  The  marquis  had  died  a  happy 
death,  and  for  some  time  previous  to  his  last  illness  had 
exercised  himself  in  works  of  penance.  Afterwards,  in 
a  letter  of  consolation  to  his  mother,  Aloysius  wrote : 
"  Now  I  may  say — in  a  true  and  new  sense — *  Our 
Father,  Who  art  in  Heaven.' " 

Wrhen  in  the  world,  Aloysius  had  carefully  shunned 
every  fault,  had  kept  a  watchful  guard  over  his  senses ; 
and  now  in  the  Society  of  Jesus  he  strove  with  even 
greater  diligence  to  use  them  in  what  was  most  pleasing 


His  Novitiate.  107 

to  God.  He  seemed  always  to  bear  in  mind  that 
man  must  give  an  account  of  every  idle  word  he  utters, 
therefore  he  cherished  silence  and  avoided  all  useless 
conversation.  When  his  equals  or  inferiors  addressed 
him  on  some  idle  topic,  he  would  admonish  them ; 
when  so  addressed  by  one  whose  dignity  forbade  such 
an  admonition,  he  showed  by  his  manner  his  distaste 
for  such  conversation. 

The  desire  of  mortification,  which  he  displayed 
in  his  observance  of  silence,  was  borne  out  in  his 
treatment  of  all  the  other  senses.  He  was  never 
known  to  enjoy  the  scent  of  a  flower. 

How  varied  the  ways  that  God  has  manifested  to 
His  saints  of  giving  to  Him  honor  and  glory!  St. 
Theresa  was  raised,  by  the  perfume  of  flowers,  to  a  high 
degree  of  contemplation.  It  was  the  part  of  Aloysius 
to  glorify  God  by  forbidding  himself  even  the  most 
permissible  indulgence,  that  he  might  honor  the  pas- 
sion of  our  Divine  Lord,  and  make  reparation  for  sin 
— the  cause  of  that  passion. 


io8  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

He  loved  to  visit  hospitals  and  to  nurse  those  af- 
flicted with  contagious  diseases.  The  sweet  perfume 
of  virtue  must  surely  have  pervaded  those  sick-rooms 
and  refreshed  the  invalids  when  this  young  saint, 
with  loving  care  attended  to  their  wants,  endeavor- 
ing to  alleviate  their  suffering.  His  kind  and  sympa- 
thetic heart,  which  had  no  regard  for  himself,  melted 
with  loving  charity  for  the  suffering  of  those  around 
him. 

He  guarded  his  eyes  while  in  the  world  ;  in  Religion 
he  was  even  more  watchful  over  them.  When  sent  one 
day  to  the  refectory  to  bring  the  Rector's  book,  he  did 
not  even  know  where  the  Rector  had  been  sitting,  so 
careful  had  he  been  not  to  indulge  his  curiosity. 

The  novices  were  accustomed  to  visit  a  very  pretty 
vineyard  in  their  daily  walk.  One  day  they  went  a 
different  route  and  visited  another.  When  they  re- 
turned home,  Aloysius  was  asked  which  of  the  two 
he  admired  the  more,  when,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  he 
acknowledged  that  he  was  not  aware  even  that  they 


His  Novitiate.  109 

had  been  to  a  strange  vineyard,  but  he  remembered 
that  in  his  walk  he  had  that  day  seen  a  chapel  which 
he  had  not  before  noticed.  How  great  must  have 
been  his  inward  recollection,  when  naught  of  this  world 
had  even  the  least  attraction  for  him.  He  found  his 
happiness  in  the  things  of  heaven ;  he  needed  nothing 
else. 

Many  might  consider  his  strict  silence  and  guard 
over  his  eyes  as  the  result  of  scrupulousness ;  but  such 
was  not  the  case.  His  confessor,  Fr.  Bellarmin,  has 
testified  that  he  was  entirely  free  from  scruples.  Such, 
however,  was  the  purity  of  his  conscience  that  he  de- 
tected the  slightest  faults  and  was  accustomed  to  refer 
them  to  his  superiors. 

His  freedom  from  scruples  is  evident  from  the  follow- 
ing. Out  of  a  spirit  of  religious  poverty  he  had  always 
loved  old  clothes.  When  sent  one  day  to  the  tailor  for 
a  new  cassock,  the  mortification  which  he  felt  was 
evident  in  his  manner.  His  Superior  advised  him  to 
examine  his  conscience  carefully  and  see  whether  this 


1 10  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

did  not  arise  from  some  species  of  self-love.  Aloysius 
complied,  and  during  several  days  assiduously  exam- 
ined his  motives.  He  then  reported  to  his  Superior 
that  he  was  unable  to  discover  any  defect  in  his  inten- 
tions, and  felt  certain  that  self-love  had  not  prompted 
him. 

Aloysius  considered  that  the  abasement  of  self  is 
more  beneficial  than  even  corporal  austerities.  He 
would  often  seek  permission  to  go  into  the  streets  of 
Rome  and  beg  from  door  to  door.  When  asked  if  he 
were  not  ashamed,  he  would  answer  that  he  set  before 
himself  the  example  of  Christ  and  the  eternal  reward, 
adding,  with  the  good  sense  which  was  characteristic  of 
him,  that  he  could  not  see  any  real  cause  for  mortifica- 
tion :  "  People  who  see  me,  either  know  me,  or  they 
do  not.  If  they  do  not  know  me,  I  ought  not  to  care 
what  they  think ;  and  if  they  do  know  me,  I  really  lose 
none  of  their  esteem  ;  on  the  contrary,  they  may  prob- 
ably be  edified,  so  that,  in  fact,  there  might  be  more 
danger  of  vain  glory  than  of  shame,  for  even  the 


His  Novitiate.  1 1 1 

worldly  often  admire  those  who  make  themselves  poor 
for  the  love  of  God." 

His  patience  in  receiving  reproof,  even  when  the  cor- 
rection resulted  from  some  misunderstanding,  was  mar- 
velous. In  fact,  he  rejoiced  when  reproved,  and  his 
joy  was  the  greater  if  the  reproof  was  undeserved.  He 
was  sent  on  one  occasion  to  assist  the  brother  in  the 
kitchen.  This  brother  was  instructed  to  try  Aloysius  by 
finding  fault  with  all  that  he  would  do.  The  brother 
obeyed,  and  even  complained  of  what  had  been  most 
accurately  done. 

Great  was  the  good  brother's  astonishment  when  he 
beheld  Aloysius  receiving  all  reproofs  with  profound 
humility  and  reverence,  not  once  attempting  to  justify 
himself.  He  recognized  in  his  Superiors  the  authority 
of  God,  and  the  more  lowly  their  rank,  the  greater  joy 
his  faith  experienced  in  obeying  them. 

Aloysius  bore  rebukes  with  so  tranquil  a  counten- 
ance, and  with  so  humble  a  demeanor,  that  it  has 
been  said  that  he  experienced  joy  rather  than  pain  on 


112  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

such  occasions.  But  there  was  one  species  of  mortifi- 
cation which  brought  a  blush  to  his  cheeks,  and  evi- 
dently ruffled  the  tranquillity  of  his  pure  soul ;  and 
that  was  when  he  was  praised. 

A  doctor  who  was  visiting  him  while  sick,  spoke  one 
day  of  Aloysius'  noble  birth  and  illustrious  ancestors, 
lauding  the  deeds  which  had  given  honor  to  the  house 
of  Gonzaga.  Aloysius,  disturbed  and  grieved  by  the 
doctor's  words,  replied,  "  We  are  now  religious  and  no 
longer  what  we  were."  From  this  incident  we  can  well 
understand  how  Aloysius  despised  the  rank  of  this  world 
and  considered  that  true  riches  consist  in  purity  of  soul. 

After  three  months  spent  in  the  novitiate  of  San  An- 
drea, the  novices  were  sent  on  a  visit  to  the  Professed 
House  of  the  Society.  Gladly  did  Aloysius  repair 
thither,  hoping  to  gain  many  spiritual  benefits  from  the 
example  of  those  who  were  of  higher  rank  in  Religion. 
Great  benefit,  however,  was  derived  by  the  Scholastics, 
and  even  by  aged  priests,  in  beholding  the  sanctity  of 
Aloysius. 


His  Novitiate.  113 

Our  saint's  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament, 
proved  here  a  source  of  great  edification.  The  Fathers 
loved  to  hear  him  discourse  on  this  subject,  and  from 
each  conversation  carried  away  some  fruitful  knowl- 
edge. 

They  themselves  related  that  they  celebrated  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  with  a  fervor  greater  than  usual  on 
the  mornings  following  the  days  on  which  they  had 
listened  to  Aloysius.  At  the  Gesu,  the  saint  often 
served  five  or  six  masses  in  one  morning,  assisting  at 
each  with  great  devotion  ;  he  never  grew  weary. 

He  was  more  thoughtful,  however,  in  regard  to 
others ;  whenever  he  perceived  a  companion  fatigued 
he  hastened  to  the  Superior  and  respectfully  men- 
tioned the  fact.  He  spent  the  time  intervening 
between  the  masses  in  devout  prayer  and  medita- 
tion. 

The  time  had  now  arrived  when  he  had  so  complete- 
ly gained  the  mastery  over  his  passions,  that  he  was 
unable  to  discover  in  himself  even  venial  offences. 


H4  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Fearful  lest  this  proceeded  from  spiritual  blindness, 
he  anxiously  sought  the  advice  of  his  Superiors.  He 
was  entirely  passive,  trusting  altogether  in  God.  Yet, 
by  nature,  he  was  neither  phlegmatic  nor  dull,  but 
quick,  ardent  and  sensitive,  with  perceptions  and  feel- 
ings at  all  times  beyond  his  years.  The  victory  was 
therefore  the  triumph  of  God's  grace,  operating  in  con- 
junction with  an  indomitable  will  and  an  untiring  per- 
severance. 

Near  the  end  of  October  1586,  it  was  decided  by  the 
Superiors  of  the  Society  to  send  Father  Pescatore, 
who  had  been  ill  for  some  time,  on  a  visit  to  Naples. 
Aloysius  and  two  companions,  who  were  themselves  in 
poor  health,  accompanied  him.  At  Naples,  as  had  been 
the  case  at  Rome,  he  edified  all  by  his  conduct.  Many 
were  accustomed  to  watch  at  the  door  of  the  college  in 
order  to  see  him  and  observe  the  example  he  gave, 
even  when  walking. 

During  the  time  he  remained  at  Naples  he  suffered 
very  much  from  headaches.  Here  he  was  allowed  to 


His  Novitiate.  115 

mortify  himself  in  many  ways  which  his  superiors  at 
Rome  had  not  permitted. 

His  delicate  health  seems  to  have  been  forgotten 
through  regard  for  his  sanctity.  He  was  allowed  to 
go  out  attired  in  clothing  suitable  only  for  warm  wea- 
ther. The  novices  were  accustomed  to  visit  the  Pro- 
fessed House  on  Sunday  afternoons,  and  there  assisted 
at  Vespers.  Often  on  such  occasions,  when  the  weather 
was  most  inclement,  Aloysius  was  permitted  to  make 
this  visit,  when  other  novices  in  delicate  health  were 
forbidden  by  the  Father  Minister. 

In  consequence  of  these,  and  other  circumstances, 
his  health  grew  worse,  till  he  was  finally  sent  back  to 
Rome.  His  return  to  the  Holy  City  was  hailed  with 
joy  by  his  fellow-novices  who  had  felt  the  loss  of  the 
gentle,  loving,  saintly  character  that  had  brightened 
and  hallowed  the  days  spent  among  them. 

The  two  years  of  his  novitiate  were  now  ended.  He 
had  faithfully  observed  his  rules  in  all  things.  He  had 
set  an  example  which  has  been  most  fruitful,  and 


Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

which  will  last  till  the  end  of  time.  In  short,  no 
greater  praise  can  be  given  to  him  than  that  he  was  a 
perfect  novice  in  the  Society  of  Jesus,  which  has  pro- 
duced so  many  Saints,  who  have  rendered  illustrious 
the  golden  pages  of  the  History  of  our  Holy  Religion. 


CHAPTER  V. 
HIS    SCHOLASTIC    LIFE. 

A  LOYSIUS  had  now  passed  two  years  in  the  So- 
**•  ciety  of  Jesus,  and  on  the  second  anniversary  of 
his  reception  into  the  order,  November  25,  1587,  he 
pronounced  his  first  vows,  promising  eternal  allegiance 
to  God,  in  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience. 

During  his  noviceship,  Aloysius  had  obtained  a  com- 
plete mastery  over  self,  over  all  his  senses  and  pas- 
sions, and  had  advanced  to  a  high  degree  of  sanctity, 
To  his  companions  he  was  perfect.  Wherever  he 
went,  whatever  he  did,  he  was  always  the  same,  ever 
recollected,  walking  in  the  presence  of  God. 


n8  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

The  completion  of  his  noviceship,  and  his  first  vows, 
was  indeed  a  great  happiness  for  Aloysius.  For  one  of 
the  ambitions  of  his  life  was  acquired.  He  was  now 
drawn  much  nearer  to  God  ;  he  felt  that  he  had  cleared 
one  of  the  deep  abysses  which,  wide  and  yawning,  lay 
on  the  path  which  leads  from  earth  to  Heaven. 

A  letter  to  his  mother,  written  shortly  after  his  vows, 
shows  us  something  of  the  spirit  of  the  young  saint  at 
this  time. 

"My  most  honored  mother  in    Christ,  most   illustrious 
Lady: 

"  I  have  lately  received  a  letter  from  you,  which 
caused  me  much  joy,  from  the  good  account  it  gave  of 
yourself  and  of  the  whole  family,  and  not  less  from 
what  it  told  me  of  my  brother,  whom  may  our  Lord 
direct  even  as  I  hope.  This  I  recommend  to  God  in 
my  prayers,  only  begging  you  to  salute  him  in  my 
name,  and  to  remind  him  to  practice  what  is- incumbent 
upon  him,  as  well  as  upon  our  house,  that  is  submission 
to  whom  it  is  due,  as  our  father  of  happy  memory 


His  Scholastic  Life.  119 

enjoined.  Illustrious  Lady,  I  announce  to  you  the  gift 
I  made  of  myself  to  his  Divine  Majesty  by  taking  my 
vows  on  St.  Catherine's  day,  for  which,  while  inviting 
you,  dear  mother,  to  praise  our  Lord,  I,  at  the  same 
time,  beg  you  to  implore  Him  that  I  may  keep  them 
and  advance  in  the  state  of  life  to  which  He  has  called 
me,  so  that,  together,  after  this  life  is  over,  we  may  be 
united  in  the  possession  of  Him  in  Heaven,  where  He 
is  so  lovingly  expecting  all  His  own. 

"  I  accept  at  the  same  time  the  offer  which  you  made 
me,  mother,  in  your  last,  of  some  more  money  for  de- 
fraying the  expenses  of  letters ;  I  will  beg  you,  there- 
fore, to  let  me  have  twenty-five  scudi.  In  conclusion, 
I  recommend  myself  to  you  in  our  Lord,  from  whom  I 
beg  for  you  increase  of  His  Holy  grace  in  all  things. 

"  I  am,  illustrious  lady,  your  most  obedient  son  in 

Christ, 

"  ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA, 

"  Of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 
"ROME,  December  u,  1587," 


I2O  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Filled  with  this  spirit  of  humility  he  entered  upon 
his  scholastic  life,  resolved  to  mortify  himself  with 
such  austerities,  to  devote  himself  with  such  energy 
to  spiritual  exercises,  to  apply  himself  with  such 
diligence  to  his  studies,  that  when  called  to  the  holy 
state  of  the  priesthood,  he  should  be  better  able,  by 
his  example,  his  every  action  and  his  learning,  to  draw 
more  souls  to  God.  So  earnestly  did  he  fulfill  his 
resolutions,  so  faithfully  did  he  adhere  to  the  spirit 
of  his  vows,  that  even  before  he  had  completed  his 
scholastic  life  God  decreed  that  his  life's  work  was  fin- 
ished, and  called  him  to  his  reward,  to  His  abode  of 
everlasting  life,  mid  the  joys  and  happiness  of  Heaven. 

If  in  his  novitiate  he  had  given  evidence  of  sanc- 
tity, much  more  did  he  do  so  now.  He  seemed  to  have 
risen  above  himself  and  to  be  dwelling  in  some  place 
between  earth  and  Heaven.  In  his  higher  station,  his 
humility,  great  before,  seemed  to  grow  in  proportion  to 
his  position.  He  desired  nothing  more  eagerly  than  to 
humble  himself.  It  was  his  frequent  practice  to  go  to 


His  Scholastic  Life.  121 

the  lower  end  of  the  refectory  and  dine  with  the 
brothers.  He  always  treated  them  as  his  superiors, 
until  reprimanded  by  the  Rector  and  told  that  he 
must  not  practice  a  humiliation  which  the  respect  due 
to  the  clerical  tonsure  rendered  unbefitting.  Aloysius 
received  the  reprimand  without  offering  any  excuse. 

About  this  time  the  young  saint  began  to  be  troubled 
lest  his  rank  and  station  in  life  before  he  entered  the 
novitiate  should  influence  his  superiors  in  their  con- 
duct towards  him.  This  fear  increased  and  Aloysius' 
surmise  was  confirmed  by  an  incident  which  happened 
just  then. 

It  seems  that  the  College  at  Rome  was  so  crowded 
with  priests,  scholastics,  novices  and  students,  that  it 
was  impossible  to  give  each  one  a  room  for  himself. 
This  privilege  was  granted  only  to  the  priests  and  to 
those  whose  health  seemed  to  require  it.  Aloysius, 
always  delicate,  though  never  complaining,  was  con- 
sidered ill  enough  to  have  a  separate  room.  But  the 
young  saint  felt  sure  this  had  been  given  him  simply 


122  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

and  solely  because  he  was  of  noble  birth.  He  went, 
therefore,  to  the  superior  and  represented  to  him 
the  jealousies  which  might  arise  from  his  having  a 
room,  and  he  thought,  also,  for  the  sake  of  example,  it 
would  be  more  advisable  for  him  to  have  a  companion. 
Another  incident  is  related  of  St.  Aloysius,  which 
tends  to  show  his  deep  love  of  God  and  his  earnest 
desire  of  being  humbled.  When  he  had  finished  his 
earlier  studies  and  before  he  began  to  teach,  he  went 
to  the  Rector  of  the  college,  and  told  him  that  he  con- 
sidered himself  incapable  of  teaching  either  a  grammar 
or  a  Latin  class,  as  he  himself  was  neither  a  good 
grammarian,  nor  well  versed  in  Latin.  But  he  thought 
it  better  for  him  to  teach  the  little  ones  in  the  lower 
sections,  with  whom  he  could  grow  up  and  thus  master 
his  difficulties.  It  seems  providential,  indeed,  that  he 
who  in  after  years  was  to  be  the  "  Patron  of  Youth," 
who  was  to  be  held  up  by  the  fathers  of  the  Church 
as  the  model  for  imitation,  and  who,  throughout  the 
world  and  in  all  ages,  was  to  be  invoked  as  the  special 


His  Scholastic  Life.  123 

friend  of  the  young  and  their  intercessor  with  God, 
should  thus  prove  his  desire  of  devoting  himself  to  the 
little  ones. 

The  saint  was  very  skillful  in  hiding  his  sanctity  and 
was  ever  offering  excuses  for,  and  making  plans  to  hide 
his  love  of  humiliation.  This  was  well  known  through- 
out the  college.  So  the  superior,  thinking  this  might 
be  a  device  of  Aloysius,  to  indulge  in  his  love  of 
humiliation,  and  not  altogether  sure  as  to  the  young 
saint's  ignorance  of  Latin  and  grammar,  placed  in  his 
room  a  companion  capable  of  judging  his  ability. 

The  superior's  surmises  proved  correct ;  as  it  was 
discovered  that  Aloysius  was  an  excellent  grammarian, 
and  could  speak  Latin  fluently.  The  refusal  of  the 
director  to  grant  his  wishes  was  to  him  a  new  humili- 
ation. To  other  persons,  the  refusal  would  have  been 
sufficient,  but  to  the  mind  of  Aloysius  it  was  only 
what  he  deserved,  and  so,  instead  of  teaching  children, 
he  went  about  the  streets  of  Rome,  begging,  dressed  in 
shabby  clothes  and  with  a  bag  on  his  back. 


124  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

He  loved  to  busy  himself  with  the  domestic  duties 
of  the  house,  sometimes  assisting  in  the  kitchen,  some- 
times washing  the  dishes,  and  the  work  in  which  he 
took  the  most  delight  was  bringing  the  food  to  the 
gate  and  distributing  it  to  the  poor.  These,  and  tasks 
like  these,  were  the  delight  of  the  young  saint's  heart. 
The  more  humiliating  the  work,  ,and  the  deeper  his 
abasement,  the  greater  was  his  joy. 

His  love  of  mortification,  at  this  time,  led  him,  some- 
times, to  inflict  such  austerities  upon  himself,  that  the 
older  fathers  of  the  house  remonstrated  with  him. 
They  were  surprised  he  did  not  scruple  to  importune 
the  superiors,  of  whom  he  was  ever  asking  permission 
to  inflict  some  new  penance  upon  himself.  He  replied 
that  he  had  an  inward  feeling,  pressing  him  to  do  so  ; 
that  he  felt  sure  it  was  the  will  of  God,  and  thus  there 
could  be  no  wrong  in  it. 

However,  he  admitted  that  sometimes  he  asked  for 
things  which  he  knew  would  be  refused  him ;  but  he  did 
this  that  he  might  suffer  the  humiliation  of  a  rebuke. 


His  Scholastic  Life.  125 

One  day,  being  asked  why  it  was  he  would  not 
take  the  counsel  of  aged  and  pious  fathers,  who 
advised  him  to  relax  his  penances  and  mortifi- 
cations, he  replied :  "  The  persons  who  give  me 
this  advice  are  of  two  sorts;  some  lead  such 
holy  and  perfect  lives  that  I  can  discern  nothing 
in  them  but  what  is  worthy  of  imitation,  and  I 
have  more  than  once  determined  to  abide  by  their 
counsels,  but  when  I  noted  that  they  themselves  did 
not  observe  them  in  their  own  conduct,  I  judged 
it  better  to  imitate  their  actions  than  to  follow  the 
recommendations,  which  through  a  certain  charitable 
feeling  and  compassionate  affection  they  gave  me. 
Others  there  are,  who  themselves  do  not  follow  the 
advice  which  they  give  me,  and  are  not  much  addicted 
to  penitential  exercises;  but  I  consider  it  better  to 
rule  myself  by  the  example  of  the  former  than  by  the 
counsel  of  the  latter." 

And  he  added  that  human  nature  left  to  itself,  grad- 
ually grows  callous,  especially  in  religious  matters,  and 


126  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

that  he  doubted  whether  without  this  grace  he  could 
make  any  headway  in  his  spiritual  life.  "  I  am  a  crooked 
piece  of  iron,"  he  said,  "  and  am  come  into  religion  to 
be  made  straight  by  the  hammer  of  mortification  and 
penance."  When  someone  interposing  said  that  per- 
fection consisted  in  interior  goodness  and  that  to 
bring  about  this  end,  it  was  better  to  scourge  the  will 
than  the  body,  he  replied :  "  Yes,  these  things  must  be 
done,  but  the  others  must  not  be  left  undone."  He  re- 
membered the  other  saints  of  the  order  who  had  lived 
before  him  ;  he  remembered  the  way  in  which  its  saintly 
founder,  St.  Ignatius,  scourged  and  lacerated  his  body ; 
he  remembered  what  he  said  in  the  constitutions  of  the 
Society,  that  he  did  not  command  vigils,  fasts,  special 
prayers,  and  disciplines,  to  his  religious,  because  he  sup- 
posed them  to  be  already  so  perfect  and  so  much  given 
to  these  things  as  to  need  rather  the  curb  than  the 
spur. 

From  this,  however,  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  be- 
cause he  disregarded  the  advice  and  counsels  of  old  and 


His  Scholastic  Life.  127 

pious  men  he  was  ever  disobedient.  Far  from  it,  to  all 
to  whom  he  owed  obedience,  to  his  superiors,  he  was 
most  docile.  Their  every  will  he  executed  in  the  mi- 
nutest detail,  and  never  did  his  exceedingly  scrupulous 
conscience  have  a  single  fear  on  this  point. 

Aloysius  loved  to  tend  the  sick.  It  was  one  of  his 
ways  of  fulfilling  God's  great  commandment,  "  Love 
your  neighbor  as  yourself."  It  was  his  great  pleasure 
to  visit  the  hospitals  ;  and  not  satisfied  with  merely 
talking  with  the  sick,  comforting  them  with  words,  he 
made  their  beds,  washed  them,  and  attended  to  their 
other  temporal  wants.  He  also  received,  from  the 
superior,  permission  to  visit  all  the  sick  in  the  college 
once  a  day.  Here  all  alike  felt  his  kind  influence.  His 
coming  was  the  approach  of  the  sunlight ;  his  treat- 
ment gentle  as  a  mother's. 

With  all  this  work  on  his  hands,  besides  his  studies, 
one  would  think  he  had  enough  to  keep  his  mind 
engaged  all  day.  But  it  was  not  so.  He  still  prayed 
as  much  as  when  in  the  novitiate,  and  even  found 


128  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

time  to  consider  and  bring  to  light  an  additional  way 
of  offering  God  honor  and  praise. 

Though  Aloysius,  from  his  childhood,  had  always 
avoided  conversations  on  any  topic  save  eternity  and 
the  things  of  eternity,  he  noticed  that  during  recreation 
the  other  young  scholastics  and  novices  were  inclined 
to  converse  on  temporal  matters.  This  grieved  him.  He 
wondered  whether  he  could  not  bring  about  a  change. 
The  more  he  thought  about  it,  the  better  satisfied  he 
was,  that  with  the  assistance  of  God's  grace  and  a  little 
perseverance  on  his  own  part,  his  wishes  could  be 
accomplished.  He  spoke  to  the  rector  as  to  whether 
he  favored  the  idea  of  diverting  attention  from  all 
conversations  on  indifferent  topics  during  recreation. 
Having  received  his  consent  he  at  once  set  to  work. 
He  first  consulted  Father  Ubaldini,  prefect  of  spiritual 
things,  a  very  holy  man,  and  begged  his  prayers  for  the 
work.  Then  he  consulted  five  or  six  of  his  fellow 
scholastics  whom  he  knew  were  spiritually  fitted  to 
enable  him  to  carry  on  the  design  to  a  successful  end. 


His  Scholastic  Life.  129 

They  began  by  meeting  now  and  then,  during  rec- 
reation to  talk  about  sacred  things.  That  this  meeting 
might  be  all  the  more  interesting,  and  not  to  be  at  a 
loss  for  a  topic,  Aloysius  used  to  spend  daily  a  half 
hour,  in  reading  some  spiritual  book.  After  a  while 
these  conferences  became  more  general,  and  the  fol- 
lowing plan  was  carried  out  by  these  holy  workers. 
If  they  happened  to  be  speaking  to  inferiors,  they  at 
once  introduced  some  religious  subject  and  talked 
about  it.  If,  however,  they  were  talking  to  superiors, 
they  pursued  another  course.  Like  children  anxious 
to  learn,  they  professed  ignorance  on  some  question 
and  asked  for  explanations.  In  this  way  a  change 
gradually  took  place  and  the  designs  of  Aloysius  be- 
gan to  ripen. 

Another  plan  of  the  young  saint  was  to  win  over 
every  new  novice  that  entered  the  college,  and  wean 
him,  at  the  very  beginning,  from  all  worldly  conversa- 
tions, so  that  in  a  short  time  he  became  one  of  his 
most  powerful  helpers. 


130  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

It  can  easily  be  imagined,  that  in  a  place  where  many 
were  zealously  working  for  the  same  end,  worthy  of  the 
highest  sanction  of  God  ;  where  all  were  devoting  them- 
selves to  the  greater  honor  and  glory  of  God,  an  object 
such  as  this  must  have  had  gratifying  results.  And  so 
it  had.  In  a  short  while  a  decided  change  came  over 
the  whole  house.  The  spirit  of  love  for  divine  things, 
which  burned  so  brightly  in  the  heart  of  Aloysius,  was 
kindled  in  the  hearts  of  all. 

Heaven  seemed  to  have  come  down  on  earth  to  rest 
in  that  little  domain.  God  was  their  all.  They  were 
consumed  with  the  desire  to  have  Him  with  them  at 
all  times.  And  all  this  was  the  work  of  the  saintly 
Aloysius.  Who  can  estimate  the  good  he  did  in  this 
work  ?  Who  can  tell  the  blessings  which  God  showered 
down  upon  the  young  religious,  so  filled  with  divine 
love  ?  God  alone  knows  what  these  young  men  did, 
when,  in  after  life  they  went  forth  to  teach  and  to 
preach,  consecrated  to  God,  strengthened  by  the  divine 
gift  of  ordination,  stamped  with  the  seal  of  God's  love, 


His  Scholastic  Life.  131 

which  must  have  shone  with  a  bright  flame  on  their 
countenances,  and  cast  a  brilliant  radiance  over  all 
who  came  within  its  influence.  Who  can  tell  the 
many  wanderers  brought  back  to  the  fold,  even  after 
their  saintly  leader  Aloysius  had  passed  away  from 
the  world. 

From  the  time  Aloysius  entered  religious  life  till  he 
entered  Heaven,  once  only  did  he  emerge  and  visit  the 
scenes  of  his  childhood,  and  then  it  was  to  settle  the 
affairs  of  his  relatives. 

The  occasion  was  this :  Orazio  Gonzaga,  lord  of 
Solferino,  had  died  and  in  his  will  deeded  the  estate 
%  to  Duke  William,  of  Mantua.  This  will  was  void, 
because  Solferino  was  a  free  Imperial  Fief,  and  hence 
Orazio  had  not  the  power  to  will  it  away.  Ralph, 
brother  of  Aloysius,  claimed  the  property  as  his,  be- 
cause Louis,  the  grandfather  of  both  Orazio  and  Ralph, 
and  the  original  owner  of  the  estate,  had  decreed  that 
in  the  event  of  Orazio  having  no  male  heirs,  it  was  to 
revert  to  the  marquisate, 


132  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

Thus,  rightly  the  property  belonged  to  Aloysius. 
Aloysius,  however,  when  he  renounced  the  world,  had 
legally  deeded  to  Ralph  all  his  claims,  titles  and  estates, 
and  thus  Ralph  was  the  legal  owner  of  the  estate. 
William,  however,  seized  the  estate  by  force.  He  did 
not  hold  it  long,  however,  for  he  died  before  a  settle- 
ment could  be  made.  Vincent,  his  son,  who  succeeded 
him,  maintained  the  claim  until,  finally,  the  Imperial 
power  took  the  case  in  hand  and  gave  the  estate  to 
Ralph. 

This  decision  caused  great  dissension  among  the 
relations  of  Aloysius.  Stories  were  circulated  and  ex- 
aggerated till  fear  was  entertained  of  open  warfare. 
All  efforts  at  reconciliation  had  been  tried  and  had 
failed.  In  this  crisis  it  occurred  to  the  mothers  of 
Ralph  and  Vincent  to  send  for  Aloysius,  feeling  sure 
that  he  could  bring  about  better  feelings.  Aloysius 
declined,  but  fearing  that  he  was  not  altogether  able 
to  judge  for  himself,  he  spoke  to  his  confessor,  Father 
Bellarmin,  about  it,  and  asked  his  advice.  The  latter 


His  Scholastic  Life.  133 

after  some  meditation  and  prayer,  replied :  "  Go, 
Aloysius,  it  will  be  for  the  glory  of  God." 

The  saint  received  this  advice  as  if  it  were  from  God, 
and  prepared  to  set  out  on  his  journey.  Though  its 
object  must  have  been  unpleasant  to  Aloysius,  he 
never  uttered  a  word  of  complaint.  His  mission  was 
wholly  successful. 

It  was  as  an  angel's  visit  to  Castiglione.  By  his  mere 
presence  he  seemed  to  extinguish  the  hatred  and  ill-will 
that  burned  in  the  breast  of  each,  and  by  a  word,  united 
them  in  the  bonds  of  friendship.  He  overcame  every 
difficulty,  calmed  every  trouble ;  he  extended  his  hand 
over  the  angry  waters  of  dissension,  and  peace  came 
upon  them. 

While  at  Castiglione,  Aloysius  occasionally  paid  a 
visit  to  one  of  the  houses  of  the  Society,  which  was 
in  the  vicinity.  Wherever  he  went,  the  fathers  were 
struck  with  the  remarkable  piety  of  the  youth  ;  they 
saw  in  him  the  counterpart  of  St.  Charles  Borromeo. 
Fr.  Prospero  Malacotta,  whom  St.  Ignatius  himself  had 


134  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

received  into  the  order,  so  admired  the  matured 
sanctity  of  Aloysius,  that  he  bade  him,  when  parting, 
to  deliver  an  exhortation  to  the  fathers  of  the  college. 
Though  it  was  quite  an  honor  to  be  selected  for  this 
duty,  one  which  none  but  priests  ever  before  per- 
formed, had  not  obedience  compelled  Aloysius  to  do 
the  task,  he  would  have  shrunk  from  it. 

His  subject  was  "  Fraternal  Charity,"  and  his 
text :  "  This  is  my  commandment,  that  you  love  one 
another  as  I  have  loved  you."  John  xv.,  12.  His 
words  were  as  the  words  of  God,  and  filled  all  with 
consolation. 

Aloysius  having  accomplished  all  he  had  set  out  to 
perform,  thanking  God  for  his  mercy  and  goodness, 
bade  his  relations  adieu  forever  and  returned  to  Milan. 
Shortly  after  his  return  he  wrote  the  following  letter 
to  his  brother,  a  letter  applicable  not  only  to  Ralph  but 
one  well  worthy  of  study  and  practice  by  every  young 
man  who  has  in  his  heart  the  wish  to  serve  and  please 
God. 


His  Scholastic  Life.  135 

MY  MOST  DEAR  BROTHER  IN  CHRIST  : 

The  desire  I  have  ever  had  for  your  spiritual  welfare 
and  the  consolation  you  have  lately  afforded  me  at 
Castiglione,  moves  "me  to  suggest  to  you,  according  as 
the  Lord  shall  inspire,  what  appears  to  me  most  useful 
for  your  soul.  And  therefore  I  recommend  to  you 
during  the  remainder  of  the  Lenten  season  to  prepare 
yourself  for  a  general  confession  at  Easter,  or  at  least  a 
confession  which  shall  include  the  time  elapsed  since 
the  one  I  know  you  made  at  Mantua  five  years  ago. 

Thus  you  will  render  certain,  as  far  as  possible  in 
this  present  life,  that  none  of  the  offenses — of  which 
you  have  been  guilty  against  the  Divine  Majesty  and 
which,  possibly,  you  ma'y  have  omitted  in  confessions 
which  you  made  during  the  period,  when,  from  human 
respect,  you  did  not  dare  to  show  yourself  the  servant 
of  Christ — shall  remain  in  you. 

This,  I  believe,  will  be  the  more  easy  to  you,  because 
the  difficulties  you  have  already  surmounted  no  longer 


136  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

stand  in  the  way ;  and  there  is  left  only  the  fruit  of 
hope,  and  the  sure  pledge  of  possessing  God's  grace. 
My  dear  brother,  I  recommend  this  to  you  very 
earnestly. 

Regarding  the  preservation  of  this  grace,  although 
it  is  the  Lord  who  has  been  pleased  to  move  your 
heart,  gather  than  my  words  of  kindness,  as  also  it  is 
He  who  must  instruct  and  guide  you,  nevertheless, 
to  satisfy  those  claims  of  relationship  which  bind  me 
to  you,  and  to  co-operate  as  I  have  hitherto  done,  with 
the  Providence  of  the  same  Lord,  I  propose  to  you 
two  means  in  particular  which  occur  to  me.  The  one 
is  to  entertain  such  unlimited  esteem  for  the  grace  of 
God,  as  cannot  be  expressed  in  words ;  neither  is  it 
possible  for  anyone,  save  God  alone,  to  make  you  fully 
comprehend  it ;  to  Him,  therefore,  I  leave  it  to  teach 
you  this. 

I  shall  say  only  that,  inasmuch  as  God's,  grace  sur- 
passes all  created  things,  honors  and  possessions,  and 
all  else  whatsoever,  so,  in  the  like  measure,  ought  our 


His  Scholastic  Life.  137 

inward  esteem  of  His  Divine  Majesty,  to  surpass  every- 
thing else.  The  second  means  is  to  act  conformably 
to  this  grace ;  "  Providing  good  things,  not  only  in 
the  sight  of  God,  but  also  in  the  sight  of  men." 
Rom.  xii.,  17. 

Regarding  our  Blessed  Lord,  I  will  here  remind  you 
again  of  what  I  recommended  to  you  when  I  last  saw 
you,  concerning  His  worship  and  service.  And  since 
the  recommending  of  the  virtue  of  religion,  which  we 
owe  to  God,  seems  to  belong  particularly  to  religious, 
I  will  give  some  particulars  which  you  can  put  in 
practice,  according  to  the  measure  of  grace  which  the 
Lord  shall  give  to  you. 

Among  these,  one  is  that  you  should  commend  your- 
self to  the  Lord  every  morning,  making  use  of  the 
Daily  Exercise,  or  other  prayers,  during  which  you 
might  meditate  on  some  of  the  points  at  the  end  of 
this  little  work,  I  send  you,  compiled  by  direction  of 
our  late  friend,  Cardinal  Borromeo  ;  and  as  you  will 
there  meet  with  suggestions  which  you,  yourself,  can 


138  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

•read,  I  will  not  enlarge  on  this  subject  any  further. 
Only  I  would  remind  you,  besides,  to  hear  mass, 
according  to  the  agreement  between  us. 

Moreover,  I  would  not  have  you  lie  down  to  rest  at 
night  without  having  examined  your  conscience,  so 
that  if  you  should  have  any  mortal  sin  on  your  soul- 
may  the  Lord  preserve  you  from  it — you  may  as  soon 
as  possible  efface  it  by  means  of  penance.  Bear  in 
mind  that  this  is  necessary  whenever  you  have  any- 
thing to  repent  of ;  never  wait  for  a  specific  time,  such 
as  Easter,  for  no  one  can  assure  you  that  you  will  then 
be  alive. 

Next,  regarding  the  providing  of  good  things  before 
men,  I  recommend  to  you  the  observance  of  the  respect 
which  you  owe  to  your  relations  and  superiors  ;  upon 
which,  however,  I  shall  say  nothing,  knowing  you  have 
this  so  much  at  heart,  only,  from  my  own  personal 
obligation,  and  not  from  any  idea  that  you  need  to  be 
reminded  thereof,  I  recommend  to  your  tenderest  care 
and  devotion  your  dear  mother. 


His  Scholastic  Life.  139 

Moreover,  as  the  head  of  your  brethren,  you  kno\\* 
how  much  it  behooves  you,  both  to  have  them  united 
to  you  and  to  behave  in  such  a  manner  towards  them, 
as  to  make  this  union  dear  to  them. 

As  to  your  vassals,  I  simply  observe  that  God  has 
perhaps  given  them  unto  your  charge  in  a  special  and 
peculiar  manner,  solely  to  signify  to  you  the  special 
and  spiritual  care  which  you  ought  to  have  of  them, 
and  recognizing  that  the  treatment  of  God  towards  you, 
should  be  a  pattern  of  your  treatment  towards  them. 

For  the  rest,  I  hope  that  God  will  lead  you  in  the 
way  of  eternal  life  ;  for  the  attaining  of  which,  with  you 
and  others,  I  have  embraced  my  present  state  of  life. 
Meanwhile,  for  the  confession  that  I  spoke  of  at  the 
beginning,  I  propose  to  you  for  your  spiritual  father,  a 
father  of  our  Society,  who,  from  the  obligations  of  our 
order,  is  well  versed  in  these  matters. 

If  you  go  to  Mantua,  I  strongly  recommend  to  you 
Father  Matha  for  the  office.  He  was  the  confessor  of 
our  friend  Duke  William.  But  should  you  not  leave 


140  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

"Castiglione,  I  have  already  made  arrangements  with 
the  Father  Rector  of  Brescia,  whereby  he  will  speedily 
provide  you  with  a  confessor  whenever  you  ask  for 
one. 

Herewith,  I  conclude,  and  as  the  execution  of  what  I 
here  recommend  to  you,  must  be  the  work  of  Divine 
grace,  more  than  of  your  own  efforts  and  my  exhorta- 
tions, I  offer  and  promise  ever  to  recommend  you  in 
my  prayers,  such  as  they  are,  to  His  Divine  Majesty ; 
and  may  He  preserve  and  guide  you  to  that  happy  end 
to  which  His  elect  shall  attain. 

Your  brother  in  the  Lord, 

ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA, 

of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 

MILAN,  March  i/th,  1590. 

Aloysius  had  now  dismissed  all  worldly  cares  from 
his  mind  and  applied  himself  once  more  to  the 
study  and  practice  of  what  would  bring  him  nearer  to 
God 


His  Scholastic  Life.  141 

He  added  to  the  mortifications  he  formerly  inflicted 
on  himself  the  deepest  humiliations;  he  meditated 
and  prayed,  and  in  all  seemed  to  be  trying  to  make  up 
for  the  time  he  lost  while  traveling  and  settling  outside 
affairs.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the  angel  appeared 
to  him  and  announced  the  approach  of  death.  Great 
indeed  was  his  joy :  the  highest  hope,  the  greatest 
desire  of  his  pure  soul  was  to  be  obtained — he  was 
soon  to  be  united  to  God  forever. 

Though  he  made  known  to  no  one  the  angel's  visit 
to  him,  and  though  he  undoubtedly  tried  to  conceal  any 
signs  of  unusual  happiness,  still  we  can  believe  with 
certainty  that  his  companions  thought  something 
wonderful  had  happened  to  him,  from  the  fact  that 
his  constancy  in  prayer  and  his  utter  oblivion  of 
all  surroundings  during  his  meditations,  caused  an 
examination  to  be  made  regarding  his  vocation. 
And  the  special  test  made  by  the  learned  Fr. 
Achilles  Gagliardi,  was  to  find  out  whether  Aloysius 
had  a  special  supernatural  gift  of  prayer  and  whether 


142  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

this   love    of   prayer  in   him  was  an   obstacle  to   the 

• 
active  life. 

The  test  proved,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  Father 
Gagliardi,  that  Aloysius  had  the  rare  gift  of  uniting 
the  contemplative  and  active  lives  without  the  slight- 
est injury  to  either. 

Aloysius,  knowing  that  he  was  soon  to  die,  had  but 
one  desire,  and  that  was  to  return  to  Rome,  for  as  he 
himself  tells  us,  if  he  had  a  home  at  all  on  earth  it 
was  at  Rome,  where  he  had  first  lived  in  Christ.  He 
felt  that  it  was  there  he  wished  to  die,  and  though 
great,  indeed,  was  his  desire  to  return  to  Rome,  still 
out  of  a  wish  to  appear  perfectly  unconcerned  as  to 
his  place  of  abode,  he  mentioned  it  to  no  one  except 
to  one  of  the  Fathers,  and  to  him  only  that  he  might 
pray  to  God  to  find  out  His  wishes. 

God  heard  his  prayers  and  favored  the  young  saint's 
desire  ;  for  about  this  time  the  Rector  of  the  Roman 
College,  Father  Rossignoli,  begged  the  Father  General 
to  recall  Aloysius  to  Rome  because  his  life  and  actions 


His  Scholastic  Life.  143 

were  such  a  source  of  edification  to  the  other  young 
men.  Accordingly  the  Father  General  ordered  Aloysius 
to  set  out  for  Rome.  He  started  on  his  journey  in  May, 
1590,  accompanied  by  several  Fathers  of  the  Society. 

One  afternoon,  soon  after  they  started,  they  came  to 
a  stream  which  had  been  swollen  by  a  sudden  rain- 
storm. They  did  not  know  what  to  do,  there  was  no 
way  of  getting  around  it,  for  it  was  utterly  impassable. 
A  short  time  before,  eighteen  persons  who  had  at- 
tempted to  cross  had  been  drowned. 

While  the  others  were  deliberating,  Aloysius  was  on 
his  knees  praying.  Suddenly  he  looked  up  and  a  little 
distance  away  saw  a  youth  crossing  and  re-crossing  the 
turbulent  stream  as  if  it  were  but  a  little  brook.  Aloy- 
sius jumped  up  and  pointing  to  the  spot  where  he  had 
seen  the  youth  said  :  "  There  is  the  ford." 

Whereupon  they  proceeded  to  the  spot  and  crossed, 
with  forty  other  people,  without  any  difficulty  what- 
ever. Upon  looking  around  for  the  mysterious  guide 
he  could  not  be  found,  and  Father  Mastrilli,  companion 


144  Ltfc  of  St.  Aloysius. 

of  Aloysius,  said  that  it  must  have  been  an  angel  who 
made  the  ford  that  the  young  saint  might  pass.  When 
Aloysius  arrived  at  Rome  among  the  first  words  he 
spoke  were  the  following  to  Father  Cepari :  "  I  have 
buried  my  dead  and  need  think  no  more  of  them  ;  it  is 
time  for  us  to  prepare  for  another  life." 

From  that  time  he  seems  to  have  almost  forgotten 
that  he  lived  on  earth.  He  desired  to  rid  himself  of 
everything  that  might  in  any  way  serve  to  remind  him 
of  earth,  and  so  gave  what  he  cherished  most,  his 
spiritual  and  theological  writings,  to  the  Rector,  saying 
that  he  wished  to  be  freed  from  everything. 

He  lived  as  in  a  long,  continued  ecstasy.  He  prayed 
constantly,  and  seemed  to  forget  altogether  even  his 
desire  to  hide  his  sanctity,  for  so  wrapt  up  in  God  was 
he,  that  even  during  recreation  he  was  seen  to  fall  on 
his  knees  and  remain  there  in  prayer,  absolutely  for- 
getful of  his  surroundings. 

In  his  walks  up  and  down  the  garden,  priests  and 
scholastics  occasionally  passed  beside  him  and  in  front 


His  Scholastic  Life.  145 

of  him,  saluted  him,  and  in  other  ways  tried  to 
distract  him,  but  all  in  vain  ;  he  never  saw  or  noticed 
them. 

As  time  went  on,  Aloysius'  abstraction  increased,  as 
did  the  reverence  in  which  he  was  held  by  those  who 
knew  him.  We  are  told  that  one  celebrated  preacher 
had  such  reverence  for  the  young  saint  that  he  could 
never  muster  up  enough  courage  to  speak  to  him, 
though  he  had  very  many  opportunities  and  very 
greatly  desired  it. 

We  have  now  followed  our  beautiful  patron  through 
twenty-two  years  of  his  saintly  life.  We  have  seen 
him,  a  young  noble,  rich  and  honored,  renounce  the 
world  and  all  it  holds  dear,  to  embrace  a  life  of  mortifi- 
cation, poverty  and  prayer.  We  have  seen  him  a 
novice  in  the  Society  of  Jesus,  a  model  and  an  example 
for  the  young  religious  the  world  over.  We  have  seen 
him  a  scholastic,  inspired  with  a  supernatural  knowl- 
edge of  divine  things,  teaching  alike  by  his  example 
and  his  words,  children  and  grown  people,  priests  and 


146  Life  of  St.  Aloysins. 

bishops.  But  here  we  pause,  and  leave  for  another 
chapter  the  final  acts  of  a  holy  life  sealed  with  the 
stamp  of  God's  love  by  a  glorious  death. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
'  DEATH    OF   ST.   ALOYSIUS. 

TF  in  his  life  St.  Aloysius  was  an  example  of  how  a 
*  good  Christian  ought  to  live,  no  less  in  his  death 
has  he  shown  us  how  a  true  Christian  should  die.  His 
was  a  noble  death,  though  not  at  the  hands  of  the 
executioner. 

It  is  true,  he  was  not  a  martyr.  No  torturer  racked 
his  limbs  or  tore  his  flesh  ;  nevertheless,  he  suffered 
the  keenest  torments  for  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ. 

He  hag!  always  been  delicate.  Even  when  a  boy  he 
had  been  troubled  with  weak  lungs,  and  when  he 
entered  the  Society  of  Jesus  his  constitution  was  very 
much  enfeebled,  In  vain  was  he  sent  from  one  place  to 


148  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

another  in  the  hope  that  the  change  would  benefit  him. 
It  was  God's  will  to  take  him  to  Himself  early  in  life. 

For  many  years  he  had  been  troubled  with  a  con- 
stant headache.  Troubled,  we  said,  but  to  Saint 
Aloysius  it  was  no  trouble,  rather  a  most  convenient 

means  of  mortification.     He  did  not  desire  to  remedy 

• 

this  headache ;  on  the  contrary  he  would  secretly  dis- 
pose of  medicines  given  him  for  his  relief,  while  he 
tried  by  all  legitimate  means  to  aggravate  the  mere 
pain  when  he  had  discovered  that  it  would  do  him  no 
real  injury. 

This  he  did  that  he  might  have  a  perpetual  reminder 
of  what  his  Lord  had  suffered  for  him.  After  he  joined 
the  Society,  Aloysius  began  to  long  for  death,  that  he 
might  be  more  intimately  united  with  Christ. 

At  Milan,  one  morning,  about  a  year  before  his 
death,  while  making  his  daily  meditation,  it  was  re- 
vealed to  him  that  soon  his  desire  would  be  fulfilled. 
As  we  may  suppose,  he  was  overjoyed  at  this  welcome 
news;  but  he  kept  it  secret  from  all  except.  Father 


His  Death.  149 

Vincent  Bruno,  until  he  returned  to  Rome,  where  he 
communicated  it  to  a  chosen  few,  and  then  t>egan  to 
prepare  himself  for  the  end. 

If  such  a  thing  were  possible,  he  turned  his  thoughts 
heavenward  more  than  ever  before.  He  firmly  be- 
lieved he  had  a  true  revelation,  and  was  determined  to 
be  prepared  for  the  happy  moment  of  his  death. 

All  his  conversations,  of  whatever  kind,  he  was 
sure  to  turn  to  God.  He  did  not  think  it  wrong  to 
speak  of  earthly  subjects,  but  considered  heaven  a  far 
more  profitable  one  and  more  suitable  to  his  tastes. 

He  was  whole-souled  in  his  desire  to  be  detached 
from  all  earthly  things.  In  fact,  he  kept  nothing  that 
was  not  absolutely  indispensable.  He  slept  in  what 
was  in  reality  a  store-room.  There  was  a  bed,  a  wooden 
chair,  a  kneeling  stool,  which  he  also  used  as  a  writing- 
desk.  For  books  he  had  a  copy  of  the  Scriptures  and 
the  works  of  St.  Thomas,  until  he  heard  that  some  less 
fortunate  companion  was  seeking  the  latter,  upon 
which  he  immediately  made  it  over  to  him. 


150  Life  of  St.  Atoysius. 

A  few  months  before  his  death  he  began  to  long 
more  and  more  for  its  speedy  approach,  alleging  that 
while  now  he  had  some  reason  for  hoping  in  God's 
mercy,  so  great  were  the  responsibilities  of  later  life, 
that  he  feared  he  might  not  be  able  to  bear  them,  and 
thus  might  imperil  his  soul.  During  the  plague  he  earn- 
estly sought  his  superiors  to  allow  him  to  tend  the  sick. 

They  were  reluctant  to  grant  the  privilege  to  one  so 
delicate,  but  finally  yielded  to  his  entreaties.  They 
might  well  hesitate,  for  shortly,  the  disease  spread 
among  the  young  Jesuits,  and  a  very  dear  friend  of 
Aloysius,  Tiberius  Bondi,  was  the  first  to  be  carried  off. 
"  O  how  willingly,"  cried  Aloysius,  "  would  I  change 
places  with  Tiberius  and  die  in  his  stead,  if  God  our 
Lord  would  grant  me  this  favor." 

It  seemed  that  his  prayer  was  heard,  for  on  the  third 
of  March,  he  himself  was  stricken.  The  immediate 
cause  of  his  infection  is  said  to  have  been  his  carrying 
to  the  hospital,  on  his  back,  a  poor  wretch  whom  he 
picked  up  in  the  streets,  in  the  last  stages  of  the  disease. 


His   Death.  15! 

To  this  person  he  ministered  with  the  most  devoted 
care,  and  as  a  reward  carried  off  the  deadly  germs  of  the 
malady.  He  took  to  his  bed  and  thought  he  would 
now  surely  die,  and  greatly  rejoiced  ;  but  to  his  joy  suc- 
ceeded fear  lest  his  desire  for  death  were  inordinate. 

However,  he  was  assured  by  his  confessor  that  it  was 
not  an  unusual  grace  to  wish  for  death  in  order  to  be 
united  with  God,  for  many  saints  had  such  desires. 

His  illness  rapidly  increased,  till  on  the  seventh  day 
it  was  thought  that  the  end  had  come.  He  received 
the  Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unction  at  the  hands  of  the 
Rector,  F.  Bernard  Rossignoli,  devoutly  making  the 
responses  to  the  prayers  himself.  Then  he  addressed 
all  present,  and  to  some,  who  had  often  complained 
that  he  had  inflicted  excessive  austerities  on  himself 
and  that  he  would  repent  of  it  on  his  death-bed,  he  said 
that  he  had  for  them  not  the  slightest  feelings  of 
remorse. 

Furthermore  he  asked  the  Provincial  to  allow  him  to 
discipline  himself.  Upon  being  told  he  was  too  weak, 


152  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

he  asked  F.  Francis  Belmisseri  to  beat  him  from  head 
to  foot.  This  was  also  denied  him,  and  as  a  last  request 
he  desired  to  be  laid  on  the  floor  to  die.  Even  this 
was  refused. 

Though  all  expected  his  death  immediately,  he  still 
lingered,  for  the  disease  had  left  its  mark,  and  the 
violent  attack  was  followed  by  a  slow  hectic  fever.  For 
three  long  months  he  lingered  on,  growing  weaker 
daily,  his  devotion  ever  increasing.  He  noticed  some 
old  curtains  around  his  bed,  while  his  fellow  sufferers 
in  the  infirmary  had  none.  He  desired  them  to  be  re- 
moved, saying  it  was  against  poverty  to  have  more  than 
his  companions,  and  he  was  satisfied  only  on  being 
assured  that  they  were  placed  there  for  a  former  occu- 
pant, and  were  in  no  way  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
poverty.  When  he  was  offered  something  to  allay 
the  violence  of  his  cough,  he  put  it  aside.  Again 
when  the  doctor  ordered  to  him  and  another  invalid 
bitter  draughts,  the  latter  disposed  of  his  quickly,  while 
Aloysius  sipped  his  slowly  as  if  it  were  delicious. 


His  Death.  153 

In  such  small  things  as  these,  it  was,  that  he  showed 
his  perfection  of  self  denial.  In  his  conversation  he 
dwelt  entirely  on  God  and  heavenly  things,  nor  did  he 
allow  himself  to  be  distracted  for  a  moment.  On  these 
matters  he  conversed  with  others,  but  as  soon  as  the  sub- 
ject changed  he  retired  within  himself  and  gave  himself 
up  to  contemplation.  It  was  thought  a  great  favor  to  see 
him  and  speak  with  him.  His  kinsmen  the  Cardinals 
Delia  Rovere  and  Scipio  Gonzaga  frequently  visited 
him  and  derived  the  greatest  edification  from  his 
presence  and  conversation. 

When  told  they  would  be  notified  of  Aloysius'  condi- 
tion regularly,  they  said  that  they  preferred  to  come 
to  him  themselves.  Meanwhile  he  was  losing  strength 
more  and  more,  till  he  could  hardly  drag  himself  from 
his  bed.  Nevertheless,  he  frequently  insisted  upon 
getting  up  and  tottering  to  a  table  on  which  stood  a 
crucifix.  This  he  would  reverently  kiss,  then  make 
the  round  of  some  pictures  of  saints  on  the  wall,  which 
he  called  his  stations.  He  would  kiss  them  and  pray 


154  fe  °f 

before  them  and  would  not  allow  the  infirmarian  to 
bring  them  to  his  bed. 

Sometimes  when  no  one  was  near  he  would  leave 
the  bed  and  throw  himself  upon  the  floor  to  pray.  Once 
the  infirmarian  came  into  the  room  softly,  and  there  be- 
held Aloysius  on  his  knees  on  the  floor.  Like  a  child 
caught  in  the  act  of  wrong-doing,  he  most  humbly 
begged  pardon  of  the  brother  and  promised  never  to 
do  it  again. 

A  very  affecting  incident  was  his  leave-taking  with 
Father  Corbinelli.  This  was  the  old  priest,  whom  he 
had  so  long  and  carefully  tended.  Both  were  now 
dying,  and  neither  could  go  to  see  the  other,  so  they 
sent  daily  greetings.  But  this  was  not  sufficient,'  for  on 
the  eighth  day  before  his  death,  the  father  requested 
to  be  allowed  to  see  Aloysius  for  the  last  time. 

Upon  hearing  this,  Aloysius  instantly  begged  the 
infirmarian  to  dress  him  and  carry  him  in.  This  was 
dorie,  and  the  mutual  joy  of  the  two  dying  religious 
was  beautiful  to  behold. 


His  Death.  Ijj 

They  talked  of  the  heavenly  home  to  which  they 
were  both  shortly  going,  exhorted  each  other  to  bear 
sufferings  patiently  and  begged  for  each  other's 
prayers.  Finally,  when  Aloysius  was  about  to  leave, 
the  aged  priest  begged  his  blessing.  Of  course  Saint 
Aloysius  was  frightened  at  this  proposal,  and  protested 
that  it  was  by  -no  means  fitting  for  him,  a  mere  schol- 
astic, so  young  and  unworthy,  to.  presume  to  bless  a 
priest.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  the  part  of  the  other, 
as  a  priest  and  the  older  person,  to  give  the  blessing. 

Nevertheless  Father  Corbinelli  persisted  in  his  re- 
quest and  bade  the  infirmarian  not  to  move  Aloysius 
till  he  had  complied.  He  felt  he  was  in  the  presence 
of  a  saint,  far  superior  to  himself  in  spiritual  perfection. 
The  infirmarian  added  his  voice  to  that  of  the  Father, 
till  at  last  Aloysius  yielded  to  their  solicitations,  en- 
deavoring at  the  same  time  to  co-ordinate  his  aged 
friend's  requests  and  his  own  sense  of  humility. 

So,  taking  holy  water  and  signing  himself  and  {he 
priest  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  he  said :  "  My  father 


156  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

may  God,  ever  Blessed,  bless  us  both,  and  fufill  your 
holy  desires ;  pray  for  me,  and  I  will  pray  for  you." 
Aloysius  was  carried  away  and  shortly  after  this  the 
father  died.  They  wished  to  keep  the  news  from  the 
saint,  but  it  was  impossible.  On  the  night  of  his  death 
he  appeared  thrice  to  Aloysius  in  a  dream,  the  first 
time  to  tell  him  that  he  was  in  his  agony,  the  second  to 
beg  Aloysius'  prayers  to  help  him  to  bear  his  terrible 
sufferings,  and  the  third  time  to  say  that  he  was  dead. 
So  vivid  was  the  impression  that  the  saint  was  un- 
able to  sleep  any  more  that  night.  He  afterwards 
said  to  Father  Bellarmin  that  Father  Corbinelli  had 
but  passed  through  purgatory  ;  and  so  confidently  did 
he  assert.it  that  it  was  taken  as  undoubted  truth. 
More  than  once  his  friends  exhorted  him  to  pray  for 
his  own  recovery,  knowing  full  well  the  power  of  his 
prayers.  But  he  firmly  refused,  answering  in  the 
words  of  Saint  Paul,  he  would  prefer  to  pray  for  his 
immediate  death,  so  anxious  was  he  to  reach  his 
eternal  home. 


His  Death.  157 

So  far  did  he  carry  this  desire  that  he  feared  to  be 
detained  in  purgatory  for  it.  Once  he  asked  his  con- 
fessor, Father  Bellarmin,  if  he  thought  anyone  ever 
went  directly  to  heaven.  That  father  replied  that  he 
firmly  thought  so,  and  furthermore  was  certain  Aloy- 
sius  would.  On  hearing  this  the  saint  fell  into  an  ec- 
stasy, in  which  he  remained  all  night,  although  as  he 
afterwards  said,  it  seemed  to  him  but  one  moment. 
In  the  morning  he  announced  that  he  would  die  in 
eight  days — on  the  octave  of  Corpus  Christi. 

His  belief  was  strengthened  by  Father  Vincent 
Bruno,  who  told  him  he  could  not  live  more  than  a  few 
days.  On  receiving  this  intelligence  his  joy  was  inex- 
pressible. "  Have  you  heard  the  good  news  that  I  re- 
ceived ?  I  am  to  die  in  a  week's  time,"  he  said  to  Father 
Bellarmin.  "  Pray  join  with  me  in  saying  a  Te  Deum 
to  thank  God  for  the  great  favor  he  has  granted  me." 
Soon  after  another  priest  entered :  "  My  father,"  he 
cried,  "  we  go,  rejoicing;  we  go  rejoicing." 

He  was  so  sure  of  his  approaching  death  that  every 


158  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

day  he  called  Father  Guelfucci  to  him,  had  him  close 
the  door,  place  the  crucifix  on  the  table  and  then  they 
recited  the  Penitential  Psalms  with  great  devotion. 

In  his  other  religious  exercises  he  was,  if  possible, 
more  assiduous  than  ever;  as  he  knew  how  short  his 
time  was.  Besides  his  meditations  and  prayers,  he  had 
many  books  on  eternal  life  and  spiritual  things  read  to 
him;  St.  Augustine's  soliloquies,  St.  Bernard  on  the 
Canticles,  and  certain  psalms  were  his  favorites. 

He  was  unwilling  to  take  any  medicines  to  relieve  his 
pain,  for  fear  that  the  long  wished  for  day  might  be 
postponed.  The  rumor  spread  that  he  had  but  a  few 
days  to  live  and  many  came  to  visit  him,  and  gave  him 
messages  to  deliver  when  he  should  get  to  Heaven.  He 
accepted  them  all  with  such  child-like  simplicity  and 
confidence,  that  we  well  might  think  him  presumptuous, 
if  we  did  not  know  his  character  and  virtues. 

On  the  third  day  before  his  death,  Father  Guelfucci 
presented  him  with  an  indulgenced  crucifix,  and  this 
he  kept  on  his  bosom  till  he  died,  Thus  the  last  days 


His   Death.  159 

of  the  saint  passed  in  almost  continual  contemplation 
and  prayer,  till  finally  the  day  dawned  which  he  had 
prophesied  would  bejiis  last. 

Early  in  the  morning  Bernard  Mizzetti  entered  the 
room  and  addressed  Aloysius:  "See,  Brother  Aloysius, 
we  have  reached  the  octave  of  Corpus  Christi,  and  on 
this  day  you  said  you  were  going  to  die ;  still  we  have 
hope  that  you  will  live." 

And,  indeed,  it  seemed  as  if  Aloysius  were  to  prove 
a  false  prophet,  for  he  seemed  stronger  and  brighter 
than  usual.  However,  he  simply  answered ;  "  The  day 
is  not  yet  finished  to-day  I  shall  die." 

Mizzetti  called  the  head  infirmarian,  and  he,  after 
examining  the  condition  of  the  dying  saint,  said  to 
him:  "Believe  me,  Aloysius,  you  are  better."  Here- 
joined,  "You  think  I  am  better,  nevertheless,  according 
to  the  will  of  God,  I  shall  die  this  evening."  Then  he  re- 
quested the  Viaticum  to  be  given  him,  but  the  infir- 
marian did  not  deem  it  necessary.  ' 

When  the  other  members  of  the  house  visited  him, 


160  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

they  found  his  condition  so  much  improved  that  some 
even  suggested  that  he  be  sent  to  Frascati;  but  hap- 
pily this  advice  was  not  taken.  He  still  kept  begging 
for  the  Viaticum,  but  was  refused  as  gently  as  possible. 
He  then  requested  to  be  laid  on  a  straw  mat,  and  to 
be  allowed  to  die  on  the  floor,  and  even  desired  to  dis- 
cipline himself.  As  we  may  suppose,  these  requests 
were  again  denied  him. 

Towards  evening  a  great  solace  was  given  to  Aloy- 
s.ius.  The  Pope  sent  him  his  blessing  with  a  plenary 
indulgence.  Aloysius  was  overjoyed  at  this  great 
favor,  but  he  was  covered  with  confusion  to  think  that 
one  so  insignificant  should  be  remembered  by  the  head 
of  the  Church. 

So  earnest  were  the  entreaties  of  Aloysius  that  at 
last  the  Rector,  Father  Rossignoli  yielded  and  prom- 
ised to  bring  him  what  he  so  earnestly  desired,  the 
Viaticum.  Aloysius  was  filled  with  the  liveliest  grati- 
tude for  this  favor  and  warmly  thanked  the  father 
Rector. 


His  Death.  161 

All  who  were  in  the  house  followed  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  to  the  infirmary,  and  knelt  around  while  it 
was  administered  to  their  dying  brother.  They  were 
moved  to  tears,  while  Aloysius  expressed  no  emotion 
except  the  greatest  joy  and  devotion,  mingled  with  the 
desire  of  seeing  Him  in  His  glory,  whom  he  now  saw 
under  a  veil.  Then  he  lovingly  embraced  all  present, 
bidding  them  a  tender  farewell,  begging  their  prayers, 
while  he  promised  to  remember  them  in  the  presence 
of  his  Lord. 

So  certain  was  he  of  going  to  Heaven  shortly,  that 
when  the  Provincial  said  to  him,  "  Well,  Brother 
Aloysius,  how  is  it  with  you  now?"  He  replied, 
"Going,  Father."  "  Whither?"  "To  Heaven." 
"  How  so  to  Heaven  ? "  "  If  my  sins  do  not  offer 
a  hindrance,  I  leave  by  the  mercy  of  God  to  go 
there." 

A  little  later  he  showed  once  more  his  desire  to  imi- 
tate as  closely  as  possible  the  death  of  Christ.  Father 
Cepari  had  placed  on  the  bed  a  crucifix,  indulgenced 


1 62  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

for  the  moment  of  his  death,  and  was  supporting  him 
so  that  he  might  keep  his  eyes  fixed  upon  it.  Al- 
though he  was  so  sure  of  his  approaching  end,  never- 
theless, those  around  him  could  not  believe  that  it  was 
so  near. 

Accordingly  all  left  the  room  except  Fathers  Guel- 
fucci  and  Fabrini.  Father  Bellarmin  also  stayed  a 
short  time,  until  he  had  recited  the  prayer  of  the  dy- 
ing, then  he  too,  departed.  The  others  busied  them- 
selves about  the  room,  or  knelt  in  prayer,  while  Aloy- 
sius  lay  in  contemplation,  now  and  then  murmuring : 
"  Into  thy  hands,  O  Lord,  I  commend  my  spirit/'  or 
the  holy  name  of  Jesus. 

Two  or  three  times  Father  Guelfucci  asked  if  he 
could  do  anything  for  him.  The  answer  was : 
"  Watch  with  me  and  assist  me,  for  I  shall  die." 
About  midnight  the  father  went  to  him  once  more, 
and  then  it  was  that  Aloysius  asked  to  be  changed 
from  one  side  to  the  other,  as  the  pain  from  the  bed- 
sores was  growing  insupportable. 


His   Death.  163 

It  was  noticed  that  the  pallor  of  death  was  coming 
upon  his  countenance,  and  that  large  beads  of  sweat 
stood  out  on  his  brow.  The  fathers  saw  that  the  hand 
of  death  was  at  last  upon  him  and  they  whispered 
words  of  encouragement  to  bear  his  sufferings  in  re- 
membrance of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 

Then  his  countenance  lighted  up  and  showed  that 
he  understood.  Fixing  his  eyes  upon  the  crucifix  be- 
fore him,  he  grasped  with  one  hand  that  which  lay 
upon  his  bosom,  while  with  the  other  he  held  a  blessed 
candle,  then  striving  to  murmur  the  holy  name  of 
Jesus,  he  breathed  out  his  pure  soul  into  a  better 
world. 

Thus  departed  in  peace  and  calm  this  great  saint  on 
the  octave  of  Corpus  Christi,  on  the  night  between  the 
twentieth  and  twenty-first  of  June,  fifteen  hundred  and 
ninety-one.  He  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years,  three  months  and  eleven  days;  of  which  five 
years  and  seven  months  had  been  spent  as  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 


164  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Almost  a  boy  in  years,  he  had  attained  to  mature 
holiness ;  it  was  the  end  of  a  life  short  in  time  but  long 
and  well  spent  in  virtue. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  Aloysius  suffered  tor- 
ments at  his  death.  This  is  literally  true.  For  when  the 
brothers  came  to  arrange  the  body  for  burial  they  found 
on  it  many  sores,  resulting  from  three  months'  continual 
lying  in  bed,  while  on  his  side  were  two  great  wounds, 
of  which  he  had  not  made  the  slightest  mention. 

Though  they  must  have  caused  him  exquisite 
torture,  he  never  complained  or  gave  signs  of  uneasi- 
ness till  shortly  before  death — and  then  only  for  a 
moment. 

So  Aloysius  died,  not  in  the  palace  of  his  ancestors, 
but  on  a  hard  couch,  almost  alone,  unknown  save  by 
the  few  with  whom  his  last  years  were  spent. 

He  might  have  chosen  to  die  on  a  rich  bed,  sur- 
rounded by  gentle,  loving  attendants,  and  everything 
that  could  make  easy  the  passage  from  one  world  to 
another.  Or  he  might  have  fallen  gloriously  on  the 


His  Death.  165 

battle-field,  at  the  head  of  a  victorious  legion,  fighting 
for  his  country  and  for  fame. 

But  would  this  have  been  of  lasting  benefit?  His 
name  might  have  been  written  in  letters  of  gold 
on  the  pages  of  history,  and  spoken  of  as  all  that 
denoted  glory  and  honor.  Yet  what  would  this  avail, 
since  he  might  have  been 

"Cut  off  even  in  the  blossoms  of  his  sin," 
and  so  have  paid  for  a  few  years  of  earthly  pleasure, 
an  eternity  of  hopeless  mourning. 

How  short  is  the  time  of  this  glory  on  earth  consid- 
ering all  that  is  forfeited  to  gain  it.  For  a  few  short 
years  his  name  would  have  been  lauded  to  the  skies, 
he  would  then  have  died  from  the  memory  of  man,  till 
finally  none  would  know  of  him  except  as  a  fleeting 
glory  in  the  records  of  the  past. 

This  is  the  result  of  the  soldier's  efforts.  On  the 
contrary,  see  what  was  the  real  outcome  of  his  mode 
of  life.  A  few  years  he  toiled  and  suffered  for  an  end. 
And  was  that  end  fame?  "  Ah,  no;  it  was  something 


1 66  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

incomparably  greater  than  mere  worldly  honor!  It 
was  not  a  short  span  of  years  of  human  glory,  glory 
of  no  profit  to  the  immortal  soul,  it  was  for  the  ever- 
lasting glory  of  the  joys  of  Heaven. 

The  ancients  of  a  more  philosophic  turn  of  mind 
well  recognized  the  emptiness  of  earthly  glory,  often 
without  seeing  the  higher  state.  They  saw  around 
them  every  day,  men  striving  for  an  olive  crown  and  a 
name,  and  then  content  to  die.  Socrates,  Plato,  and 
Juvenal  appreciated  the  foolishness  of  such  conduct. 
The  last  of  these  wrote:  "Weigh  Hannibal.  How 
many  pounds  will  you  find  in  that  great  leader,  whom 
all  Africa  could  not  contain?" 

The  mind  of  Aloysius,  young  in  years  but  old  in 
wisdom,  when  it  came  to  the  meeting  of  the  roads  that 
ran  to  fame  or  to  Heaven,  well  chose  the  path  that  led 
to  Heaven ;  but  in  choosing  that,  it  proved,  even  to  him, 
the  path  of  undying  fame,  with  a  nobler  record  than 
was  ever  won  by  worldly  hero,  be  he  patriot,  king,  or 
soldier. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   HONOR   TO    HIS   MEMORY  AND 
MIRACLES. 

A  LOYSIUS  had  lived  a  hidden  life;  he  had  filled 
**  none  of  those  external  occupations  that  could 
have  made  known  his  sanctity  to  the  world,  and  yet 
immediately  after  his  death  it  was  God's  will  that  the 
sweet  perfume  of  his  heroic  virtues  should  be  spread 
throughout  the  earth. 

The  pious  marchioness,  his  mother,  received  from 
every  quarter  numberless  assurances  of  the  high  esteem 
in  which  her  beloved  son  was  held.  Fr.  Claudius 
Aquaviva,  General  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  writing  to 
her,  says :  "  Henceforth  Your  Excellency  has  a  dear 
and  faithful  intercessor  in  Heaven,  where  his  blessed 


1 68  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

soul,  as  we  believe,  has  already  entered."  'This  was  the 
opinion  held  by  many  other  persons  in  Rome,  among 
others  by  the  Rector  of  the  Roman  College,  Cardinal 
Scipio  de  Gonzaga,  and  Cardinal  della  Rovere. 

So  universal,  indeed,  was  the  idea  held  of  his  sanctity 
that  on  the  day  of  his  burial,  as  is  declared  by  Thomas 
Mancini,  Secretary  of  the  Cardinal  della  Rovere,  the 
people  gathered  in  great  crowds  to  obtain  some  portion 
of  his  relics,  and  many  noblemen  were  most  eager  in 
their  endeavors  to  secure  some  slight  souvenir  of  the 
saint. 

In  the  Courts  of  Florence,  of  Ferrara,  of  Turin,  of 
Parma,  he  was  at  once  invoked  as  a  saint,  and  of  the 
many  royal  personages  who  bore  testimony  to  his 
sanctity  those  loudest  in  his  praise  were  Rudolph  II., 
Emperor  of  Austria ;  Charles  Emanuel  I.,  Duke  of 
Savoy;  Maria  de  Medicis,  Queen  of  France;  Philip  III., 
King  of  Spain  ;  and  Margaret  of  Austria. 

Still  more  significant,  however,  is  the  opinion  of  the 
Cardinal  Bellarmin.  In  such  high  esteem  did  he  hold 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.      169 

the  holy  youth  that  on  each  recurring  anniversary  of 
the  saint's  death  the  venerable  old  man  might  be  seen 
kneeling  at  the  tomb  of  his  former  penitent  while  tears 
of  consolation  coursed  down  his  cheeks,  as  he  recalled 
the  last  farewell  of  his  dear  son  and  the  sweet  converse 
they  had  held  together. 

In  an  exhortation  addressed  to  the  Community  in  the 
Roman  College  he  declared  that  when  giving  the  Exer- 
cises of  St.  Ignatius  to  Aloysius,  he  found  him  filled 
with  such  an  abundance  of  light  on  spiritual  things  that 
he,  old  man  though  he  was,  was  taught  by  him  the  art 
of  meditation. 

Shortly  after,  writing  to  Fr.  Cepari,  he  said :  "  I 
believe  that  he  entered  at  once  into  the  glory  of  the 
Blessed,"  and  when  he  himself  was  on  the  point  of 
rejoining  his  young  friend,  his  last  request  was  that  his 
body  might  be  buried  at  the  feet  of  his  spiritual  child. 

But,  as  if  in  confirmation  of  all  these  testimonies  of 
holy  and  distinguished  men,  the  Heavens  themselves 
open  to  reveal  the  glory  of  the  saint. 


170  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

In  1590,  Fr.  Virgil  Cepari  was  Rector  of  the  College 
at  Florence  and  Confessor  at  the  Monastery  of  Santa 
Maria  de  los  Angelos,  where  Mary  'Magdalen  de  Pazzi 
then  lived  as  Mother  Superioress.  He  gave  the  Com- 
munity a  relic  of  Aloysius,  a  bone  of  one  of  the  fingers. 
On  the  4th  of  April,  1591,  the  Mother  was  distributing 
fragments  of  the  relic  to  the  Religious  assembled  about 
her,  when  she  was  wrapt  in  ecstasy. 

She  saw  Aloysius  in  glory,  and  as  was  her  wont  in  her 
visions,  she  uttered  aloud  what  she  saw.  One  of  the 
Nuns  noted  down  her  words :  "  O,  how  great  is  the 
glory  of  Aloysius,  the  young  son  of  Ignatius  !  Can 
there  be  greater  glory  in  Heaven  than  that  which 
Aloysius  possesses  ?  I  declare  that  Aloysius  is  a  great 
saint.  Would  that  I  could  traverse  the  whole  earth  to 
proclaim  it  everywhere  to  God's  greater  glory  !  Who 
could  imagine  the  merit  and  the  price  of  an  interior 
life  !  Aloysius  was  a  hidden  martyr.  Oh  how  great  was 
his  love  of  God  while  on  earth  !  For  this  reason  does 
he  now  possess  his  God  in  the  fullness  of  divine  love." 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       171 

\Yhen,  in  the  year  1601,  this  writing  was  shown  to  her 
by  the  Archbishop  of  Florence,  Alexander  de  Medicis, 
she  assured  him  on  oath,  that  she  had  seen  in  vision 
what  was  there  narrated. 

The  sanctity  of  Aloysius  was  further  attested  by  the 
many  miracles  he  has  wrought.  In  1593,  two  years 
after  his  death,  he  appeared  in  glory  to  his  mother  and 
cured  her  of  a  dangerous  illness.  Camilla  Ferrari,  who 
had  known  Aloysius  in  his  infancy,  was  at  the  point  of 
death  when  on  invoking  the  saint  she  was  instantly 
cured.  The  authenticity  of  this  miracle  was  recognized 
by  the  Tribunal  of  the  Rota. 

In  Castiglione  twelve  lamps  and  four  hundred  ex- 
votos  were  hung  in  testimony  of  the  favors  he  had  ob- 
tained for  his  own  people. 

In  Florence,  the  Archbishop  of  that  place  counted 
in  J753>  fifty-eight  miracles  wrought  by  the  saint. 
One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  was  the  sudden 
restoration  to  health  of  Julia  de  Nobili,  wife  of  the 
Senator  Paul  Virita,  secretary  of  the  Grand  Duke 


172  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Ferdinand  of  Tuscany.  She  was  carried  in  a  dying 
condition  to  the  Church  of  the  Society,  and  after 
repeating  three  times  a  prayer  to  St.  Aloysius  she  was 
cured  and  returned  on  foot  to  her  own  home. 

The  holy  Aloysius  seemed  to  have  a  special  care  for 
his  beloved  brethren  in  religion.  Joseph  Spinelli,  a 
young  scholastic,  was  studying  philosophy  at  the  Col- 
lege of  Palmero  in  1635.  He  was  struck  with  paralysis. 
He  prayed  to  St.  Aloysius  and  the  saint  appeared  to 
him  and  cured  him  instantly.  In  1765  another  scho- 
lastic, Louis  Celestini,  studying  rhetoric  at  the  Novitiate 
of  San  Andrea,  was  cured  of  a  mortal  illness  through 
the  intercession  of  our  saint. 

Pope  Benedict  XIII.  named  Aloysius  as  the  special 
patron  of  youth  and  particularly  of  students.  It  is  not 
surprising,  therefore,  if  the  gentle  saint  has  always  re- 
served for  students  the  greatest  portion  of  his  favors. 
Besides  the  miracles  already  spoken  of,  there  remain 
many  things  to  say  that  will  show  to  young  people 
by  what  obligations  they  are  bound  to  this  kind 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       173 

protector,  and  how  great  is  the  confidence  they  should 
have  in  his  intercession. 

In  the  year  1605  there  lived  in  the  Roman  College  a 
boy  of  noble  family,  and  of  angelic  piety.  But  his 
mind  was  so  dull  that  he  could  learn  nothing.  Hence, 
however  much  he  labored,  he  never  made  any  progress 
in  his  studies,  scarcely  understanding  a  word  of  what 
was  said  in  class,  becoming  on  this  account  a  source  of 
much  amusement  to  his  comrades.  One  day  as  he  left 
the  class-room,  covered  with  shame  and  more  dejected 
than  ever,  he  ran  all  bathed  in  tears  to  the  tomb  of  St. 
Aloysius,  poured  out  to  him  his  grief,  and  begged  of  the 
saint  to  obtain  for  him  that  he  might  cease  to  be  but  a 
useless  block  of  wood  unable  to  respond  to  the  care  of 
his  teacher.  He  was  heard,  and  so  effectually,  that  he 
was  able  to  hang  at  the  altar  of  the  saint  the  following 
ex-voto : 

"  Ex-voto :  On  account  of  my  dullness  I  have  hither- 
to been  the  last  in  my  class.  I  had  recourse  to  St. 
Aloysius  and  implored  his  help  at  his  tomb.  Scarcely 


174  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

had  ten  days  passed  before  I  felt  my  mind  illumined 
by  a  new  light  and  I  have  since  been  enabled,  as  my 
teacher  assures  me,  to  continue  my  studies  with  profit." 

In  1700,  a  little  boy  who  studied  at  the  college  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus  at  Innsbruck,  had  his  face  and  hands 
severely  burned  by  an  explosion  of  powder.  The 
wounded  parts  were  rubbed  with  the  oil  of  the  lamp 
that  burned  before  the  tomb  of  .St.  Aloysius,  and  in 
less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  boy  was  cured. 

Again,  in  1728,  a  boy  in  one  of  the  schools  in  Rome 
was  badly  injured  while  at  play,  by  being  struck  on  the 
head  by  a  stone  weighing  three  or  four  pounds.  He 
fell  to  the  ground  unconscious.  The  prefect  had  him 
carried  to  a  hospital  near-by.  As  he  passed  by  the 
church  he  stepped  in  and  said  a  short  prayer  to  St. 
Aloysius.  He  had  scarcely  finished  when  the  boy  re- 
covered his  senses,  got  up  and  returned  to  the  school. 
The  next  morning  all  that  remained  of  the  deep  wound 
he  had  received  was  a  slight  scar.  This  wonder  was 
beheld  by  many  witnesses. 


flic  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       175 

But  if  this  amiable  saint  is  so  willing  to  help  his 
clients  in  their  temporal  needs  what  has  he  not  done 
for  the  spiritual  wants  of  their  souls  in  helping  them  to 
make  progress  in  virtue  ?  And,  indeed,  it  is  evident 
that  God  has  placed  Aloysius  in  Heaven  to  be  the 
model  and  the  apostle  of  Christian  youth  on  earth. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  tell  all  the  good  that  has 
resulted  during  the  past  three  hundred  years  from  the 
reading  of  his  life.  The  venerable  Cardinal  Bellarmin 
declared  in  speaking  of  his  angelic  friend :  "  God  has 
been  pleased  to  exalt  his  young  servant  that  all  young 
persons  may  know  that  youth  is  not  an  obstacle  to  the 
attainment  of  mature  virtue,  and  knowing  this  may  be 
animated  by  his  example  to  seek  'after  perfection." 

The  students  of  the  Roman  College  seemed  to  be 
the  especial  favorites  of  the  saint,  and  it  is  quite  natural 
that  it  should  be  so,  for  during  his  life  he  himself  had 
received  his  lessons  in  those  halls,  and  after  his  death 
his  tomb  remains  there  as  a  throne  of  glory  from  which 
he  dispenses  his  favors. 


176  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

The  venerable  Father  Francois  Marie  Galuzzi  who 
for  twenty  years  was  the  spiritual  director  of  most  of 
the  students,  noted  down,  year  after  year,  the  graces 
that  were  obtained  in  each  triduum  preparatory  to 
the  Feast  of  St.  Aloysius. 

The  2 1st  of  June  was  called  by  Father  Anthony 
Baldinucci  the  "  Devotional  Feast,"  on  account  of  the 
extraordinary  fervor  that  he  remarked  in  the  students 
on  that  day  as  they  approached  the  Holy  Table. 
Father  de  Benedictis  declared  that  it  was  a  known  fact 
that  this  Feast  was  always  remarkable  for  the  singular 
graces  of  conversion  and  vocation  that  were  obtained. 
It  may  be  well  to  narrate  some  of  them. 

A  student  of  the  Roman  College  was  living  a  crimi- 
nal life  and  had  entirely  given  up  the  sacraments.  A 
few  days  before  the  Feast  of  St.  Aloysius,  he  entered 
the  church  by  chance  and  made  a  visit  to  the  Tomb  of 
the  Saint.  Suddenly  he  feels  an  entire  change  come 
over  his  heart ;  he  hastens  to  throw  himself  at  the  feet 
of  a  confessor,  makes  a  general  confession  of  his  past 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       177 

life  with  all  the  sentiments  of  perfect  contrition, 
and  from  that  day  began  to  lead  a  life  of  piety  and 
fervor. 

Another  student  told  his  confessor  as  he  came  to 
confession  :  "  I  did  not  want  to  come,  I  felt  so  much 
repugnance  and  shame  ;  but  Aloysius  urges  me  to  come 
and  it  is  he  who  brings  me  here  by  main  force." 

The  father  of  a  numerous  family  had  a  little  boy  of 
very  frail  health,  who  studied  at  the  Roman  College. 
The  child  hearing  the  life  of  St.  Aloysius  read  during 
the  triduum,  was  so  inflamed  with  a  desire  to  imitate 
him  that  he  abandoned  his  playthings  for  long  hours  of 
prayer  and  gave  up  his  meals  for  bread  and  water. 
His  father  and  his  older  brothers  were  so  touched  by  his 
example,  that  they  embraced  a  life  of  great  devotion. 
The  house  became,  as  it  were,  a  monastery. 

They  passed  much  time  in  prayer,  assembled  to- 
gether for  meditation ;  until  at  length  four  of  the  boys 
embraced  a  religious  life  to  the  great  joy  of  their  father, 
who  found  himself  thus  blessed  in  his  children. 


1/8  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

At  Lucerne,  there  lived  a  young  man  who  gave  him- 
self up  to  a  life  of  dissipation.  He  was  counselled  by 
a  friend  to  have  confidence  in  St.  Aloysius,  and  to" prac- 
tice in  his  honor  the  devotions  of  the  six  Sundays.  He 
did  so,  but  was  overcome  by  discouragement  and  fell 
again  into  his  bad  life.  One  day,  while  he  was  alone 
in  his  room,  a  picture  of  the  Saint  that  was  hanging  on 
the  wall  was  hurled  to  the  floor  with  such  a  great  noise, 
that  the  miserable  young  man,  filled  with  fear,  fell  down 
in  a  swoon.  On  recovering,  he  threw  himself  on  his 
knees  before  the  picture,  and  from  that  moment  was 
sincerely  converted. 

In  the  Roman  Martyrology,  the  Feast  of  St.  Aloysius, 
the  2ist  of  June,  is  announced  in  these  terms:  "At 
Rome,  St.  Aloysius  Gonzaga,  celebrated  for  the  inno- 
cence of  his  life  and  his  contempt  for  the  world,"  and 
from  his  abode  in  Heaven  he  has  sought  to  infuse  into 
the  hearts  of  the  more  fervent  of  his  servants  a  special 
love  of  these 'two  virtues  for  which  he  was  so  remark- 
able. 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       179 

Among  the  persons  who  in  this  respect  have  imitated 
more  perfectly  their  charming  model,  are  to  be  num- 
bered his  three  nieces.  They  became  the  founders  of 
a  famous  monastery  at  Castiglione,  which  long  continued 
to  be  a  source  of  edification  and  glory  to  all  Italy. 
They  were  the  three  daughters  of  Ralph,  brother  of  St. 
Aloysius,  Cynthia,  Olympia  and  Angelica.  Cynthia 
lived  at  Rome,  with  her  uncle,  Francis  of  Gonzaga>  and 
while  there  thought  only  of  the  vanities  of  the  world. 

Suddenly  she  fell  sick,  and  during  her  sickness, 
which  lasted  for  four  months,  she  was  aroused  by  the 
counsels  of  Fr.  Cepari.  She  examined  her  life,  and 
gradually  felt  a  complete  change  come  over  her  soul. 

She  thought  of  the  great  example  of  her  uncle 
Aloysius,  and  was  so  filled  with  disgust  for  the  vain 
things  of  the  world  that,  after  having  made  the  spiri- 
tual exercises  of  St.  Ignatius,  she  abandoned  all  that 
she  had  previously  cherished,  and  gave  herself  up  to  a 
life  of  prayer  and  mortification. 

Finally  she  resolved  to   consecrate  her  virginity  to 


i8o  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

God,  and  this  she  did  on  the  Feast  of  Corpus  Christi, 
1606.  Soon  after  she  besought  her  uncle  Francis  to 
build  at  Castiglione  a  convent  for  those  who  sought 
perfection  in  religion,  and  a  church  for  the  Fathers 
of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  whom  she  desired  to  direct 
her  in  the  religious  life. 

Shortly  after,  Olympia,  who  had  always  led  a  most 
exemplary  life  in  emulation  of  her  saintly  uncle,  joined 
her  sister  at  Castiglione.  Angelica  for  a  long  time  re- 
sisted the  example  of  her  sisters  and  continued  to  lead 
a  worldly  life.  At  length,  however,  owing  to  the  coun- 
sels of  Fr.  Cepari  and  to  the  intercession  of  Aloysius, 
she  also  embraced  the  life  of  religion  at  the  Convent  of 
Castiglione. 

It  is  known  to  God  alone  how  many  generous  souls 
have  been  drawn  to  the  way  of  evangelical  perfection 
by  the  example  of  St.  Aloysius.  The  holy  youth  de- 
lights to  inspire  others  with  a  desire  for  a  religious  vo- 
cation, which  he  himself  esteemed  so  highly  and  for 
which  he  fought  so  valiantly  while  on  earth. 


The  Honor  to  His  Memory  and  Miracles.       181 

May  his  life  be  in  the  future  what  it  has  been  to  so 
many  in  the  past:  a  light,  an  inspiration,  a  guide  to 
lead  souls  from  time  to  eternity,  from  earth  to  heaven. 


APPENDIX. 


1 86  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Written  for  the  First  Century. 
IMAGO  PRIMI  S^ECULI. 

NON  INFERIORA  SECUTUS. 

OUBLIMES  aquilae,  volucrum  generosa  propago, 
^-J         Ausae  oculis  Phcebi  solicitare  jubar ; 
Et  vos  Gonzagae,  qui  non  sine  numine  Divum 

Quatuor  antiquum  stemma  notatis  aves ; 
State  alacres,  fixasque  acies  intendite  ccelo  ; 

Explorare  novo  stemmata  sole  juvat. 
Cernite  quos  ignes,  radios  quos  spargat  Jesus; 

Quse  nova  ccelesti  lampade  flamma  miscet. 
Caligant  vultus.     Oculos  Aloysius  unus 

Figit,  et  obtutu  mens  animosa  salit 
Quin  (adeo  haud  oculos  hebetant  nova  lumina)  clamat, 

O  !  mihi,  Phoebe,  novas  ejaculare  faces. 
Vivimus  his,  Jesuque  tuo  recreamur  ab  igne ; 

Eia,  oculos  radio  jam  propiore  feri, 
Desero,  quod  possum,  patrem,  patriamque,  laremque ; 

Ut  te  sole  queam  sic  propiore  frui, 
Terra  vale.     Genitor  quid  pugnas  ?  mitte  querelas. 

Non  te,  non  proavis  inferiora  sequor, 
Invideas,  frater,  si  credas:  quosque  relinquo 

Discedens  titulos,  tu  quoque  ferre  neges. 
Me  genus  et  stirpem  juvat  ipso  arcessere  ccelo: 

Pro  titulis  JESUS  omnibus  unus  erit. 

- 


Life  of  St.  Atoysius.  187 

Translated  for  the   Third  Century. 

ST.  ALOYSIUS. 


LIKE  eagles,  noble  birds  of  lofty  flight 
Who  dare  ascend  the  clear  celestial  height 
And  tempt  the  gleaming  sun, 
So  you,  Gonzagas  of  most  noble  line 
Who  boast,  through  pleasure  of  the  will  Divine, 
Four  branches  old,  stand  firm  with  fixed  gaze 
And  look  to  heav'n.     Now,  of  your  noble  race 
Appears  the  noblest  one. 

Behold  what  splendor  Jesus  spreads,  what  rays  ! 
What  new  star  glistens  with  a  heavenly  blaze  ? 

The  visage  burns  with  love. 
One,  Aloysius  only,  fixes  there 
His  searching  eyes,  and  midst  the  steady  glare 
Which  cannot  his  pure  sight  bedim,  with  heart 
That  sympathetic,  throbs  at  every  dart 

He  sends  his  cry  above. 

O  cast  on  me  thy  beams,  O  Light  Eterne, 
By  these  we  live  ;  and,  Jesus,  let  love  burn 

Within  my  lowly  breast. 

Behold  !  my  eyes  now  nearer  reach  thy  light. 
All  I  resign  :  my  titles  and  my  right, 
My  parents  loved,  my  home  and  fatherland, 
That  I  with  Thee  may  dwell,  with  Thee  may  stand 

And  aye  by  Thee  be  blest. 

False  earth,  farewell !  O  father  grant  my  plea  ! 
What  I  desire  is  not  unworthy  thee 

Nor  any  of  thy  hall. 
Ah  !  brother,  do  not  envy,  but  decline 
To  bear  the  honors  which  I  now  resign, 
To  heav'n  I  call  and  for  my  titles  claim 
But  one  alone,  my  Lord's  my  JESUS'  name, 

For  that  to  me  is  all. 


LEO  PP.  XIII. 

T  TNIVERSIS  Christifidelibus  praesentes  Litteras 
^  inspecturis  salutem  et  Benedictionem  Apostoli- 
cam. 

Opportune  quidem  et  auspicate  contingit  ut  XL  ka- 
lendas  iulias  hoc  anno  sacra  sollemnia  in  honorem 
Sancti  Aloisii  Gonzagae  trium  sseculorum  a  beatissi- 
mo  exitu  eius  elapso  spatio  sint  memori  pietate  pera- 
genda.  Nuntiatum  Nobis  est,  ex  faustitate  huius  even- 
tus  mirabili  amore  pietatisque  studio  exarsisse  animos 
christianorum  adolescentium,  quibus  optima  sane  huius- 
modi  occasio  visa  est,  ut  suam  in  ccelestem  iuventu- 
tis  Patronum  voluntatem  et  reverentiam  multiplici 
significatione  testarentur.  Et  id  quidem  evenire  vide- 
tur  non  in  iis  tantum  regionibus  quae  sanctum  Aloi- 


TRANSLATION    OF    BRIEF    OF 

POPE  LEO  XIII. 

TO  all  the  faithful,  reading  these  letters,  health  and 
Apostolic  benediction. 

The  twenty-first  of  June  of  the  present  year  shall  be 
especially  distinguished  as  being  the  tercentenary  of 
the  saintly  Aloysius  Gonzaga. 

This  timely  and  most  auspicious  event  shall  be  fit- 
tingly commemorated  by  religious  solemnities,  devoutly 
instituted  in  his  honor. 

Already  has  it  been  made  known  to  us  that  the  hap- 
piness of  this  occasion  has  enkindled  within  the  hearts 
of  our  Catholic  young  men  a  wonderful  love  and  burn- 
ing desire  of  piety.  And  what  more  fitting  opportunity 
may  be  presented  them  of  showing  in  sundry  ways  the 
heaven-born  affection  and  reverence  felt  by  all  towards 
this  celestial  patron  of  youth  ? 

These  pious  and  reverential  feelings  have  been  mani- 
fested not  in  those  parts  only  which  were  favored  by 
the  life  and  death  of  the  Saint,  but  burn  brightly,  far 
and  wide,  in  all  places  wheresoever  has  been  heard  his 
name  or  the  story  of  his  holy  life. 


Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

sium  terris  cceloque  genuere,  sed  late  ubicumque  Aloi- 
sii  nomen  et  sanctitatis  fama  percrebuit.  Nos  iam  a 
tenera  aetate  angelicum  luvenem  summo  pietatis  studio 
colere  assueti,  cum  haec  novimus,  periucundo  laetitise 
sensu  affecti  sumus.  Deo  autem  opitulante  confidimus 
eiusmodi  sollemnia  non  vacua  futura  fructu  christianis 
hominibus,  nominatim  adolescentibus  qui  Patrono  tu- 
telar! suo  honores  cum  habebunt,  in  cogitationem  fa- 
cile deducentur  clarissimarum  virtutum  quibus  Ille 
quoad  vixit  ceteris  in  exemplum  enituit.  Quas  quidem 
virtutes  cum  secum  cogitent  et  admirentur,  sperandum 
est  fore  ut  adiuvante  Deo  animum  mentemque  suam 
ad  eas  velint  informare,  studeantque  fieri  imitatione 
meliores.  Neque  certe  catholicis  iuvenibus  proponi 
potest  praeslantius  ad  imitandum  exemplum  illisque 
locupletius  virtutibus  quarum  laude  florere  iuvenilem 
aetatem  desiderari  maxime  solet.  Ex  vita  enim  et  mo- 
ribus  Aloisii  possunt  adolescentes  documenta  plurima 
capere,  unde  ediscant  qua  cura  et  vigilantia  vitae  integ- 
ritas  et  innocentia  sit  servanda,  qua  constantia  casti- 


Pope  Leo  XIII.  191 

Of  a  truth,  unbounded  has  been  our  own  joy  on  hear- 
ing this,  for  from  our  tenderest  years  we  ourselves  have 
ever  striven  to  cherish  a  loving  homage  towards  this 
angelic  youth. 

And  we  sincerely  trust  that  these  devotions,  com- 
memorative of  his  holy  life,  may  not  be  vain,  but  rather 
productive  of  the  greatest  good  among  all  Christians, 
but  especially  among  the  young,  who,  while  paying 
their  tributes  of  affection  to  their  patron  and  guardian, 
will,  we  are  confident,  be  led  to  the  sweet  contempla- 
tion of  those  virtues  which  made  Aloysius,  while  on 
earth,  a  quickening  example  to  all. 

For  it  is  confidently  to  be  hoped  that,  recalling  to 
mind  his  holiness  of  life,  they  will  endeavor,  with  the 
divine  assistance,  to  fashion  their  own  lives  after  his, 
and  thus  make  daily  greater  efforts  to  advance  in  the 
way  of  perfection. 

And  what  grander  example  may  we  propose  to  our 
Catholic  young  men  ?  Where  find  one  richer  in  those 
noblest  virtues  which  are  the  chief  ornaments  of  youth  ? 
Study  Aloysius's  life  and  actions !  how  many  lessons 
are  not  presented  to  the  young,  of  the  care  and  watch- 
fulness necessary  to  preserve  their  own  lives  spotlessly 
pure !  of  the  fidelity  with  which  they  should  keep  their 
bodies  in  due  subjection  and  restrain  the  too  great 
eagerness  of  their  desires !  Hence  may  they  draw  the 


192  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

gandum  corpus  ad  restinguendos  cupiditatum  ardores, 
quomodo  despiciendae  divitiae  contemnendique  hono- 
res,  qua  mente  atque  animo  turn  studiis^vacandum  turn 
cetera  omnia  aetatis  suae  officia  et  munia  implenda, 
quodque  his  praesertim  temporibus  maximi  est  mo- 
menti,  qua  fide  quo  amore  sit  Ecclesiae  matri  et  Apos- 
tolicae  Sedi  adhaerendum.  Siquidem  Angelicus  Adoles- 
cens  seu  domesticos  inter  parietes  degeret,  seu  nobilis 
ephebus  in  Aula  Hispanica  versaretur,  seu  animo  vir- 
tute  et  doctrina  excolendo  operam  daret  in  Societatem 
lesu  abdicate  principatu  adscitus,  ubi  quod  in  votis 
habuerat  et  praeclusum  dignitatibus  aditum  et  vitam 
omnem  proximorum  saluti  sibi  unice  impendendam 
esse  gestiebat,  talem  in  omni  vitae  genere  sese  impertiit, 
ut  facile  ceteris  omni  laude  antecelleret  et  praeclara  re- 
linqueret  sanctitatis  argumenta.  Quapropter  sapienti 
sane  concilio  qui  christianae  iuventuti  instituendae  et 
erudiendae  praeficiuntur,  sanctum  Aloisium  proponere 
solent  tamquam  nobilissimum  ad  imitandum  exem- 
plum,  obsequentes  consilio  decessoris  Nostri  Benedicti 


Pope  Leo  XIII.  193 

knowledge  that  riches  are  to  be  despised  and  honors 
spurned.  Here,  too,  they  have  unfolded  before  them 
the  peerless  example  of  intense  earnestness  and 
minutest  exactness  in  all  things,  whether  in  the  pursuit 
of  knowledge  or  in  the  exercise  of  the  various  other 
ordinary  duties  of  their  young  life. 

But  pre-eminently  does  Aloysius  stand  forth  in  these 
times  of  change  and  unrest,  as  a  shining  example  to  all 
of  a  son  filled  with  ardent  love  of  Holy  Church  and 
staunch  devotion  towards  the  Apostolic  See. 

For  consider  him  during  those  boyhood  days  passed 
beneath  the  parental  roof  ;  watch  him  as  a  young  noble 
in  the  performance  of  his  duties  at  the  court  of  Spain  ; 
study  him,  when  casting  aside  all  worldly  preferments, 
he  enters  the  Society  of  Jesus,  that  there,  cut  off  from 
every  approach  to  dignities,  he  may  use  his  utmost 
endeavors  to  become  holy  and  learned  and  devote 
his  entire  life  to  the  salvation  of  those  around  him  : 
weigh  well  his  every  deed,  and  it  will  be  plain  that, 
truly  an  angelic  youth  he  performed  every  action  of 
his  life  with  so  pure  a  motive,  as  easily  to  excel  all 
others  in  virtue,  leaving  to  all  glorious  testimonials  of 
his  sanctity. 

Those,  then,  whose  duty  it  is  to  watch  over  the 
formation  and  education  of  Christian  youth,  very 
wisely  present  St.  Aloysius  as  a  model  nobly  worthy  of 


194  Life  of  St.  Aloysins. 

XIII.  qui  iuventuti  studiis  deditae  praecipuum  Patronum 
ccelestem  Aloisium  constituit.  Quare  egregiam  sane 
meritorum  laudem  sibi  comparare  videntur  illae  catholi- 
corum  iuvenum  societates,  quae  non  modo  in  italicis 
sed  etiam  in  externis  urbibus  sunt  institute  eo  propo- 
sito,  ut  huiusmodi  Aloisiana  sollemnitas  singulari  cultu 
celebretur.  Nos  non  latet  quantum  studii  operaeque 
illae  contulerint  in  apparandis  honoribus  qui  toto  orbe 
catholico  Angelico  luveni  deferentur  et  quantam  adhi- 
beant  curam  ut  catholicorum  pietate  pariter  ac  numero 
praestent  piae  peregrinationes  vel  ad  natale  solum 
Aloisii  vel  ad  hanc  almam  Urbem  quae  castas  eius  exu- 
vias  asservat  et  colit,  suscipiendae.  Pueris  etiam,  ut 
accepimus,  puellisque  oblata  est  ratio  testandi  Aloisio 
puri  amoris  et  pietatis  suae  quasi  primitias:  pagellae 
enim  late  sunt  diffusse,  augustis  iam  Nominibus  in  qui- 
bus  ipsi  se  parentesque  tamquam  famulos  et  clientes 
inscribant.  Singulari  huic  in  re  optima  ardori  et  sanctis 
eiusmodi  propositis  et  votis  cupimus  atque  optamus  ut 
bonus  faustusque  iuvante  Deo  exitus  obtingat.  Interea 


Pope  Leo  XI I L  195 

imitation ;  in  this,  prudently  following  the  wish  of  our 
predecessor,  Benedict  XIII.,  who  named  the  saintly 
Aloysius  the  especial  heavenly  patron  of  students. 

Surely,  great,  indeed,  is  the  praise  merited  by  those 
young  men  who,  not  in  Italy  only,  but  also  in  various 
other  parts  of  the  world,  have  banded  together  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  a  peculiar  share  in  the  solemnities 
to  be  held  in  honor  of  St.  Aloysius. 

We  ourselves  well  know  that  throughout  the  entire 
Catholic  world  these  clients  of  Aloysius  are  vying  with 
one  another  in  doing  him  honor,  and  with  all  zeal  and 
earnestness  are  working  that  the  pilgrimages  made 
either  to  his  native  land  or  to  this  cherished  city,  still 
guarding  his  chaste  remains,  may  be  glowing  tributes, 
remarkable  alike  for  the  veneration  shown  and  the  num- 
ber of  the  faithful  therein  participating. 

The  little  ones  also  are  afforded  a  happy  opportunity 
of  dedicating  to  Aloysius  the  first  fruits  of  a  pure  and 
faithful  affection,  for,  as  we  have  learned,  far  and  wide 
are  to  be  found  albums  already  ennobled  by  the  sig- 
natures of  persons  of  the  highest  rank,  in  which  may  be 
inscribed  both  the  names  of  children  and  those  of  their 
parents  as  the  saint's  faithful  clients. 

God  grant  that  so  wonderful  a  fervor  manifested  in 
this  truly  noble  undertaking  and  so  many  prayers  and 
endeavors  may  be  productive  of  most  happy  results. 


196  Life  of  St.  A I oy  sitts. 

cum  admotae  nuper  sint  ad  Nos  preces  ut  in  uberiorem 
animarum  fructum  ccelestibus  Ecclesiae  thesauris  hanc 
sollemnitatem  ditare  et  decorare  velimus,  Nos  piis  hisce 
precibus  benigne  adnuendum  censuimus.  Quamobrem 
de  Omnipotentis  Dei  misericordia  ac  BB.  Petri  et  Pauli 
App.  Eius  auctoritate  confisi,  omnibus  et  singulis  utri- 
usque  sexus  Christifidelibus  qui  triduanas  quotidie  vel 
quinquies  saltern  novendialibus  supplicationibus  quse 
habendae  sunt  ante  Aloisiana  sollemnia  diebus  a  res- 
pective loci  Ordinario  designandis,  et  vel  ipso  die  festo 
vel  uno  ex  dictis  diebus  ad  cuiuscumque  arbitrium  sibi 
eligendo  vere  poenitentes  atque  confessi  ac  S.  Commu- 
nione  refecti  quamlibet  Ecclesiam  seu  Oratorium  publi- 
cum,  ubi  festum  S.  Aloisii  celebrabitur,  devote  visita- 
verint,  ibique  pro  christianorum  Principum.  concordia, 
haeresum  extirpatione,  peccatorum  conversione  ac  S. 
Matris  Ecclesia:;  exaltatione  pias  ad  Deum  preces  effu- 
derint,  Plenariam  omnium  peccatorum  suorum  Indul- 
gentiam  et  remissionem  misericorditer  in  Domino  con- 
cedimus.  lis  vero  fidelibus  qui  corde  saltern  contriti 


Pope  Leo  XI II.  197 

And  that  a  plentiful  harvest  of  souls  may  be  reaped, 
we  ourselves  affectionately  yield  to  the  pious  entreaties 
of  those  who  have  lately  besought  us  to  enrich  and 
adorn  this  occasion  with  the  treasures  and  graces  be- 
stowed from  on  high  upon  Holy  Church. 

Trusting,  then,  in  the  tender  mercy  of  Almighty  God, 
and  in  the  authority  of  His  blessed  Apostles,  Peter  and 
Paul,  we  mercifully  grant  in  the  Lord  a  plenary  indul- 
gence and  full  remission  of  their  sins  to  all  such  as, 
truly  penitent  and  having  purified  themselves  in  the 
Sacrament  of  Confession  and  received  Holy  Com- 
munion, shall  visit  some  church  or  public  oratory, 
where  the  Feast  of  St.  Aloysius  is  celebrated,  and  there 
pray  for  the  promotion  of  peace  among  Christian 
princes,  the  extirpation  of  heresies,  the  conversion  of 
sinners  and  the  exaltation  of  Holy  Mother  Church. 

As  a  further  condition,  however,  necessary  to  gain 
these  indulgences,  the  faithful  must  pray  for  the  above- 
named  intentions  daily  during  the  triduum,  or  on  five 
at  least  of  the  days  of  the  novena  prescribed  by  the 
Ordinary  as  preparatory  to  the  Saint's  festival ;  and 
they  must  approach  the  Holy  Table  on  the  feast  itself, 
or  on  one  of  the  days  assigned  for  its  solemnization. 

Moreover,  following  the  wonted  practice  of  the 
Church,  we  grant  an  indulgence  of  seven  years  and 
seven  times  forty  days  to  those  of  the  faithful  who  will 


198  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

pias  peregrinationes  ad  memorata  loca  confecerint,  et 
parvulis  etiam  pro  eorum  captu  eorumque  parentibus 
qui  nomina  ad  promerendum  Aloisii  patrocinium  in- 
scripserint,  dummodo  triduanis  vel  novendialibus  sup- 
plicationibus,  ut  supra  dictum  est,  adstiterint,  septem 
annos  totidemque  quadragenas  in  forma  Ecclesiae«:on- 
sueta  relaxamus.  Quas  omnes  et  singulas  indulgentias, 
peccatorum  remissiones  ac  pcenitentiarum  relaxationes 
etiam  animabus  christifidelium,  quae  Deo  in  charitate 
coniunctae  ab  hac  luce  migraverint,  per  modum  suffra- 
gii  applicari  posse  indulgemus.  Praesentibus  hoc  anno 
tantum  valituris.  Volumus  autem  ut  praesentium  Lit- 
terarum  transumptis  seu  exemplis  etiam  impressis, 
manu  alicuius  Notarii  publici  subscriptis  et  sigillo  per- 
sonae  in  ecclesiastica  dignitate  constitutae  munitis  ea- 
dem  prorsus  fides  adhibeatur,  quae  adhiberetur  ipsis 
praesentibus,  si  forent  exhibitae  vel  ostensae.  Datum 
Romae  apud  S.  Petrum  sub  annulo  Piscatoris  die  I. 
lanuarii  MDCCCXCI.  Pontificatus  nostri  anno  XIII. 

M.  CARD.  LEDOCHOWSKI. 


Pope  Leo  XIII.  199 

undertake  a  pilgrimage  to  the  places  made  memorable 
by  St.  Aloysius. 

And  this  indulgence  we  likewise  extend  even  to  the 
children,  as  far  as  they  are  capable  of  profiting  by  it, 
and  to  all  parents  who  will  have  enrolled  their  children 
among  those  invoking  the  patronage  of  Aloysius,  pro- 
vided they  comply  with  the  above-named  conditions  of 
the  triduum  or  novena. 

We  also  grant  that  all  and  each  of  these  indulgences, 
pardon  of  sin  and  remission  of  punishment,  be  ap- 
plied by  way  of  suffrages  to  those  faithful  souls  who 
have  departed  this  life  united  to  God  by  the  bond 
of  charity. 

These  privileges  hold  good  only  during  the  present 
year. 

We  wish  that  the  credence  shown  to  these  letters 
themselves,  should  be'  in  like  manner  given  to  all 
printed  copies  thereof  or  public  translations,  signed  by 
a  notary  public  and  attested  by  the  seal  of  some  eccle- 
siastical dignitary. 

Given  at  Rome  under  the  seal  of 
the  Fisherman  s  ring,  January 
/,  1891,  in  the  thirteenth  year 
of  our  Pontificate. 

M.  CARDINAL  LEDOCHOWSKI. 


TRIDUUM   AND   NOVENA 

OF 

THE    TERCENTENARY 

OF  THE  DEATH  OF  ST.  ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA, 
PATRON  OF  YOUTH. 

HPHE  three  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  death  of 
St.  Aloysius  Gonzaga,  Patron  of  Youth,  falls  on 
the  2 1st  of  June  of  the  present  year.  The  Holy  See, 
by  a  Brief  dated  January  I,  1891,  has  granted  special 
privileges  to  its  celebration,  for  the  churches  of  the 
whole  world. 

"  i°.  A  Plenary  Indulgence  for  the  Triduum  or  for 
assisting  five  times  at  the  Novena,  to  be  gained  on  the 
Feast  itself  or  any  day  of  the  Triduum  or  Novena.  A 
visit  to  the  church  or  chapel  where  the  Feast  is  cele- 
brated is  required,  on  the  usual  conditions  of  Confession 
and  Communion  with  prayers  for  the  intentions  of  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff. 

2  °.     To  Pilgrims  and  to  the  children  who  place  them- 
selves under  the  protection  of  St.  Aloysius,  and  to  their 


2O2  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

parents  who  thus  enroll  them,  an  Indulgence  of  seven 
years  and  seven  quarantines. 

All  these  indulgences  are  applicable  to  the  Souls  in 
Purgatory. 

3°.  In  all  the  churches  of  the  world  which  celebrate 
this  Anniversary,  the  Mass  of  the  Saint  may  be  said  for 
three  days,  beginning  on  the  Feast  itself. 

All  the  privileges  and  Indulgences  require  the  usual 
consent  of  the  Ordinary. 

A  great  Pilgrimage  will  be  made  to  the  Saint's  tomb 
in  Rome.  For  those  who  are  not  able  to  join  this  Pil- 
grimage for  the  2 1st  of  June,  special  spiritual  favors 
have  been  granted  by  the  Holy  Father,  on  condition 
that  they  unite  in  spirit  with  the  Pilgrims  and  place 
themselves  under  the  patronage  of  St.  Aloysius ;  and 
parents  may  do  this  in  the  name  of  their  young  children. 

In  memory  of  the  Tercentenary  there  is  to  be  placed 
in  the  tomb  of  the  Saint,  an  album  containing  the  names 
of  the  young  children  whose  parents  consecrate  them 
to  St.  Aloysius. 


From  the  Raccolta. 

ST.  ALOYSIUS   GONZAGA. 

DEVOUT  EXERCISE. 

F)OPE  CLEMENT  XII.,  in  order  to  inspire  the 
faithful,  and  especially  the  young,  with  greater 
devotion  toward  the  angelic  youth,  St.  Aloysius  Gon- 
zaga,  granted  by  two  decrees  of  the  S.  Congr.  of  In- 
dulgences, December  nth,  1739,  and  January  1 7th, 
1740: 

A  Plenary  Indulgence  on  each  of  the  six  Sundays 
which  are  wont  to  be  kept  in  honor  of  this  saint,  either 
immediately  before  his  feast,  on  June  2 1st,  or  at  any 
time  of  the  year.  In  order  to  gain  this  Plenary  Indul- 


2O4  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

gence,  it  is  requisite  that  the  six  Sundays  should  be 
kept  consecutively ;  and  that  on  each  of  them,  the 
faithful,  being  truly  penitent,  after  confession  and  com- 
munion, should  employ  themselves  in  pious  medita- 
tions or  vocal  prayers  or  other  works  of  Christian  piety, 
in  honor  of  the  saint. 

ON  THE  DAY  OF  HIS  FEAST. 

The  Sovereign  Pontiffs,  Benedict  III,  by  a  decree, 
November  22d,  1729,  Clement  XII,  by  a  decree  No- 
vember 2 1st,  1737,  and  Benedict  XIV,  by  a  decree, 
April  1 2th,  1742,  granted: 

A  Plenary  Indulgence  to  all  the  faithful  who,  being 
truly  penitent,  after  confession  and  communion,  shall 
visit  an  altar  dedicated  to  St.  Aloysius  Gonzaga,  on  the 
day  of  his  feast,  and  pray  for  the  wants  of  Holy  Mother 
Church,  and  for  the  intention  of  His  Holiness. 

This  feast  may  be  celebrated,  with  permission  of  the 
Ordinary,  on  any  day  of  the  year,  in  any  place,  at  any 
altar,  as  appears  from  the  decree  cited  above. 


Prayer.  205 


PRAYER. 

O  Blessed  Aloysius,  adorned  with  angelic  graces!  I, 
thy  most  unworthy  suppliant,  recommend  specially  to 
thee  the  chastity  of  my  soul  and  body,  praying  thee  by 
thy  angelic  purity  to  plead  for  me  with  Jesus  Christ, 
the  immaculate  lamb,  and  His  most  Holy  Mother,  the 
Virgin  of  virgins,  that  They  would  vouchsafe  to  keep 
me  from  all  grievous  sin.  O !  never  let  me  be  defiled 
with  any  stain  of  impurity;  but  when  thou  dost  see  me 
in  temptation,  or  in  danger  of  falling,  then  remove  far 
from  my  heart  all  bad  thoughts  and  unclean  desires, 
and  awaken  in  me  the  memory  of  my  eternity  to  come 
and  Jesus  Crucified ;  impress  deeply  in  my  heart  a 
sense  of  the  holy  fear  of  God  ;  and  thus,  kindling  in 
me  the  fire  of  divine  love,  enable  me  so  to  follow  thy 
footsteps  here  on  earth,  that  in  heaven,  with  thee,  I 
may  be  made  worthy  to  enjoy  the  vision  of  our  God 
forever.  Amen. 


2o6  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Our   Father,  Hail  Mary,  Glory  be  to  the  Father. 

To  increase  more  and  more  devotion  toward  St.  Aloy- 
sius Gonzaga  who,  from  the  time  of  his  canonization, 
was  given  by  Benedict  XIII.  as  the  special  protector  of 
the  young,  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  Pius  VII.,  by  a  decree 
of  the  S.  Congr.  of  Indulgences,  March  6th,  1802, 
granted  to  all  the  faithful  who,  with  at  least  contrite 
heart  and  devotion,  shall  say  this  prayer,  with  one  Our 
Father,  Hail  Mary,  and  Glory  be  to  the  Father : 

An  indulgence  of  one  hundred  days,  once  a  day. 


THE  SIX  SUNDAYS.- 

"    I  "HE   manner  of   performing  the  devotion  of  the 
six  Sundays  is  as  follows: 

"  First,  on  each  of  these  Sundays  let  the  person  who 
performs  this  devotion  choose  St.  Aloysius  as  his  patron 
and  receive  the  sacraments  of  penance,  and  the  Holy 
Eucharist. 

"  Second,  on  that  day  let  him  be  present  at  some 
sodality  meeting,  or  at  least  hear  a  mass  in  honor  of 
the  saint. 

"  Third,  let  him  recite  each  day  either  before  some 
statue  or  picture  of  the  saint,  or  in  the  church,  six  Our 
Fathers  and  Hail  Marys,  with  the  Glory  be  to  the 
Father,  the  Litany  of  the  Saint,  etc. 


208  Life  of  St.  A  toy  sins. 

"  FourtJi,  let  him  perform  some  Work  of  Mercy, 
spiritual  or  corporal,  according  to  his  ability  or  devo- 
tion. 

"  Fifth,  let  him  spend  some  time  in  meditating ;  for 
the  subject  of  meditation  on  each  Sunday,  let  him  take 
one  of  the  Virtues,  which  St.  Bonaventure  finds  ex- 
pressed in  the  wings  of  the  Seraphim  seen  by  the 
prophet  Isaias.  These  virtues  are:  compunction  of 
heart,  satisfaction  of  penance,  cleanness  of  body,  purity 
of  mind,  love  of  God,  and  love  of  our  neighbor.  With 
these  virtues,  as  with  so  many  wings,  did  the  angelic 
youth,  Aloysius,  fly  to  such  a  height  of  perfection,  as  to 
resemble,  in  some  manner,  the  very  angels  themselves. 


THE    LITANY    OF    ST.  ALOYSIUS. 


T    ORD  have  mercy  on  us. 

*H     Christ  have  mercy  on  us. 

Lord  have  mercy  on  us. 

Christ  hear  us. 

Christ  graciously  hear  us 

God  the  Father,  have  mercy  on  us. 

God  the  Son,  Redeemer  of  the  world,  have  mercy  on 


us. 


God  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Holy  Trinity,  one  God,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Holy  Mary, 

Holy  Virgin  of  virgins, 

Holy  Mother  of  God, 

St.  Aloysius,  Pray  for  us. 

Most  Beloved  of  Christ, 

The  delight  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 

Most  chaste  Youth, 


210 


Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 


Angelic  youth, 
Most  humble  youth, 
Model  of  young  students, 
Despiser  of  riches, 
Enemy  of  vanities, 
Scorner  of  honors, 
Honor  of  princes, 
Jewel  of  the  nobility, 
Flower  of  innocence. 
Ornament  of  the  religious  state. 
Mirror  of  mortification, 
Mirror  of  perfect  obedience, 
Lover  of  evangelical  poverty, 
Most  affectionately  devout, 
Most  zealous  observer  of  Rule, 
Most    desirous    of    the    salvation    of 
souls, 

Perpetual  adorer  of  the  Eucharist, 
Particular  client  of  St.  Ignatius, 
Be  merciful  unto  us,  O  Lord. 


Pray  for  us. 


TJie  Litany  of  St.  Aloysius. 


211 


Deliver  us, 
O  Lord. 


Graciously  hear  us,  O  Lord. 
From  the  concupiscence  of  the  eyes, 
From  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh, 
From  the  pride  of  life, 
By    the    merits    and    intercession    of 
St.  Aloysius, 

By  his  angelical  purity, 

By  his  sanctity  and  glory, 

We  sinners,  we  beseech  thee  to  hear  us. 

Lamb  of  God,  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world 

Graciously  spare  us,  O  Lord. 

Lamb  of  God,  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world/ 

Hear  us,  O  Lord. 

Lamb  of  God,  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world, 

Have  mercy  on  us. 

Christ,  hear  us. 

Christ,  graciously  hear  us. 

Lord,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Christ,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Lord,  have  mercy  on  us. 


212  Life  of  St.  Aloysius. 

Our  Father,  etc.     Amen. 
V.     Pray  for  us,  St.  Aloysius. 

R.  That  we  may  be  made  worthy  of  the  promises  of 
Christ. 

LET  US  PRAY. 

O  God,  the  distributor  of  heavenly  gifts,  who  didst 
join  in  the  angelic  youth,  Aloysius,  wonderful  inno- 
cence of  life  with  an  equal  severity  of  penance ;  grant, 
through  his  merits  and  prayers,  that  we,  who  have  not 
followed  the  example  of  his  innocence,  may  imitate  his 
practice  of  penance.  Through  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


THE    STUDENTS'   PRAYER 

TO   ST.  ALOYSIUS. 

A  NGELIC  youth,  Aloysius,  by  the  particular  ap- 
^*  pointment  of  God's  vicar  upon  earth,  patron  of 
students  !  thou  who  hast  illustrated  the  church  by  a 
holy  contempt  of  an  earthly  principality,  but  more  by 
thy  innocence,  the  sanctity  of  thy  life,  and  the  glory 
of  thy  miracles !  allow  me  from  this  day  to  choose  and 
adopt  thee  patron  and  protector  of  my  life  and  studies, 
firmly  resolved  to  follow  the  example  and  pattern,  as 
well  of  piety  as  of  industry,  thou  hast  placed  before 
me.  For  the  love  thou  hast  for  Jesus  Crucified,  and 
His  most  blessed  Mother,  receive  me  as  thy  client  and 
obedient  servant ;  aid  and  assist  me  in  the  pursuit  of 
virtue  and  learning ;  nourish  and  increase  in  me  purity 


214  Life  of  St.  Aloy sius. 

of  body  and  mind ;  turn  away  the  snares  laid  against 
my  chastity ;  ward  and  defend  me  from  the  dangers  of 
the  world  ;  inspire  my  heart  with  a  true  and  filial  con- 
fidence in  the  ever  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  Mother  of 
good  counsel  ;  govern  and  direct  me  in  my  choice  of  a 
state  of  life,  and  let  the  grace  of  God  be  my  perpetual 
defence  against  all  mortal  sin ;  that  as  thou  always 
didst  live  in  purity  and  integrity  truly  angelical,  so,  as- 
sisted by  thy  patronage,  and  aided  by  the  grace  of 
God,  I  may  live  in  purity  and  holiness  in  this  world,  and 
deserve  to  be  associated  with  thee  and  united  to  the 
company  of  angels  in  heaven.  Amen. 


HYMN  TO  ST.  ALOYSIUS. 

ANGELIC  youth!  bright  heaven's  treasure, 
And  a  joy  to  those  below, 
Be  our  model  in  our  life-time, 
Be  our  guard  against  the  foe. 

Though  to  all  so  dear,  beloved, 

Who  to  you  for  comfort  fly, 
Yet  to  us  your  brother  students 

You  are  bound  by  closer  tie. 

Like  a  lily  in  its  whiteness, 

Gentle,  pure,  and  oh!  so  fair; 
Yet  you  lived  through  all  your  life-time 

In  rude  .penance  and  in  prayer. 

How  the  world  gleamed  bright  before  you, 

High  and  royal  prize  at  stake, 
Yet  you  put  aside  the  tempter, 

And  you  fought  for  Jesus'  sake. 

In  the  way  of  truth  and  virtue 
You  have  shown  the  royal  road, 

While  you  tell  us  who  the  King  is, 
And  you  point  to  His  abode. 

Oh,  how  just  you  were  and  faithful 

To  your  God  and  fellow-men  ; 
May  we  also  in  the  battle 

Be  as  brave  as  you  have  been. 


REMEMBRANCES. 

P\EAR,  dead  memories,  these  of  years  agone, 

'Till  by  Death's  hand,  or  Time's  or  Duty's  call, 
Away  we  shall  be  summoned,  one  by  one, 
Until  the  silent  tomb  shall  gather  all. 

Yet,  through  these  years,  until  we  meet  again, 
These  college  days  will  live  a  fragrant  past ; 

Yea!  and  when  heart-sick,  reaching  joy  through  pain, 
Backward, — regretful, — will  our  thoughts  be  cast. 


CONTENTS, 


TITLE  PAGE,     .*.....  i 

DEDICATION,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3 

DEDICATION  TO  ST.  ALOYSIUS,  .  .    W.  S.  Creeden,          5 

EDITOR'S  PREFACE,  .  .  .  .  •'•*•? 

AUTHOR'S  PREFACE,     .  .  .  H.  H.  O'Connor,        u 

CHAPTER        I. — St.  Aloysius  :  his  Birth  and  Early  Life, 

R.  S.   Tierney,         17 

CHAPTER      II. — His  Innocence  and  Spirit  of  Penance, 

W.  S.  Creeden, 

T.   F.   Rourke,          43 

CHAPTER    III. — His  Youth,  Studies  and  Vocation, 

T.  F.   Burke,        75 

CHAPTER     IV. — His  Novitiate  Life,          .  F.  S.  Prunty,       101 

CHAPTER       V. — His  Scholastic  Life,  .    G.  J.  Gillespie,       117 

CHAPTER     VI.— His   Death,  .  .  H.  S.  Sayers,       147 

CHAPTER  VII. — The  Honor  to  his  Memory  and  Miracles, 

H.  W.  McLaughlin,      167 
APPENDIX,  ........      183 

POEM  OF  THE  FIRST  CENTENARY,      .  .  .  .  186 

TRANSLATION  FOR  THE  THIRD  CENTENARY,        .  .  .187 

BRIEF  OF  POPE  LEO  XIII.,     .  .        ,  .  .  .  188 

REGULATIONS  FOR  THE  TRIDUUM  AND  NOVENA,  .  .      201 

SPECIAL  PRAYERS,        ......  203 

DEVOTION  OF  THE  Six  SUNDAYS,  ....      207 

LITANY  OF  ST.  ALOYSIUS,      ....  209 

STUDENT'S  PRAYER  TO  ST.  ALOYSIUS,    .  .  .  .213 

HYMN  TO  ST.  ALOYSIUS,        .  .  .  .  .  215 

REMEMBRANCES,      .  .  .  .  .  .  .217 


SIX  THOUSAND  COPIES  SOLD. 

LIFE  OF 

ST.  ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA. 

TERCENTENARY    EDITION. 

EDITED  BY  REV.  J.   F.  X.  O'CoNOR,  S.  J., 

Written  by  the  Students  of  Rhetoric,  '92. 
ST.     FRANCIS     XAVIER'S     COLLEGE, 

30    West  16th  St.,  New    York  City. 

Cloth,  $1.00.  Paper,  500. 

Large  Reduction  to   Institutions  ordering  20  copies  or  more. 

By  the  same  editor, 
READING    AND    THE    MIND,   WITH   SOMETHING  TO 

READ.— Fourth  Edition.  By  J.  F.  X.  O'Conor,  S.  J.  One  of 
the  best  books  on  reading  ever  published.  Solid,  clear  and  sugges- 
tive. Invaluable  classical  guide  for  colleges  and  convents.  The 
pioneer  of  many  imitations.  Benziger  Bros.  First  published  1881. 
Fourth  edition  1890.  Paper,  25c. 
CYLINDER  OF  NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 

Translation  of  the  Babylonian  Cuneiform.     First  publication  of  the 
kind  in  America. 

The  collection  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  "  includes  a  very  impor- 
tant terra-cotta  cylinder  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babylon,  which  has  been 
copied  and  translated  by  Fr.  J.  F.  X.  O'Conor,  of  Woodstock,  Maryland." 
"  This  particular  cylinder  is  of  interest  *  *  *  from  its  being  as  far  as  known 
the  first  unpublished  original  that  has  found  its  way  from  that  ancient  empire 
of  Babylon  to  the  city  of  New  York,  there  to  tell  its  story  of  the  work  of  the 
mighty  king  and  confirm  anew  the  facts  made  known  by  the  other  inscriptions 
of  this  same  monarch."1 — N.  Y.  Herald. 

Woodstock  College,  1885.     $1.00. 
PRACTICE  OF  HUMILITY. 

Second  edition.     From  the  Italian  of  Pope  Leo  XIII.     Benziger 

Bros.,  N.  Y.,  1890.     Maroquette,  2oc.;  Plain,  IDC. 
GARUCCI'S  CHRISTIAN  ART. 

A  monograph.     Cunningham.     Philadelphia,  1885. 
LYRIC  AND   DRAMATIC    POETRY. 

By  the  students  of  Boston  College.    Poetry  class,  1883.     McQueeney, 

Boston,  1883. 
PEARLS  OF  A  YEAR. 

By  the  Students  of  St.  Francis  Xavier's   College.     P.  Kenedy, 

N.  Y.,  1889.     $1.00. 
THREE   HOLY  LIVES. 

St.   John  Berchmans,   St.   Peter  Claver,   St.  Alphonsus   Rodriguez. 

N.  Y.  1888.     St.  Francis  Xavier's  College. 


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